Video: Columbus Police Looks To Diversify

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Columbus, Miss. (WCBI) — The Columbus Police Department recently hired 3 new police officers and are currently in the market to hire some more.

Interim Chief Fred Shelton is working with the city to hire what he hopes to be 10 more officers.

Shelton also hopes to hire locally to bring back the personal connection between police and the neighborhoods they serve.

“The goal is to get the police department to represent this community and by doing that is having people that understand this community…”, Shelton said.

The application to become a Columbus police officer requires the officer to be 21 years old, as well as completing many physical and mental examinations.

Shelton said the mental toughness is key, as prospects must go through background checks and psychological tests like voice stress tests. Recruits must also show their ability to make critical decision quickly and within the law.

Shelton also said officers are also tested on their propensity for violence. As part of the psychological examination, if an officer is believed to have a high propensity for violence, “this is not the place where they need to be”, said Shelton.

As part of the hiring process, Shelton is also looking to diversify the police force.

“We want to be customer friendly…”, said Shelton, “…we want to be able to give people what they need…regardless of who you are, where you are, we want to be able to do our mission which is to protect and serve you just as well as we do everybody else.”

After finishing the academy, Shelton also added that every new officer is on one year probation. The probation serves as a one-year evaluation to determine if the hire is best suited for the position.

People in the community told WCBI what they hope to see in the new officers.

“I think it’d be better to have people that are already in the community, that know the community…”, said Willie Jones, “…they already know the people who live in the community.”

“It’s very important to the community that…they see the officers out like making an effort to be prevalent in the community”, said resident Olivia Kemp.

Kemp also said about adding diversity to the police force that “it’s always good to have multiple perspectives…”

Shelton said he hopes to bring that connection back into Columbus policing. He said the department has “gotten more mobile, with more technology” and that officers are driving past and not interacting with the people they serve.

Along with the new hires, Shelton plans to send officers out into the communities, on foot patrols, and let them introduce themselves to the neighborhoods they patrol.

Shelton’s goal is to make the new hires by the beginning of this coming year.