Feb 26, 2008 9:09 pm US/Central
Officers Accuse DPD Of Wasting Tax Dollars
DPD Searching For Recruits In Puerto Rico
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Puerto Rico has sand, sun and a large pool of potential police recruits who are bilingual and looking for work.
Three months ago, the Dallas Police Department sent a delegation to test and take applications.
"I anticipate that well come away with 15 to 20 hires," said Deputy Chief Floyd Simpson.
That number doesn't sit well with some officers who say the trip was too expensive. CBS 11 has learned the price tag of the trip was $45,000.
"Why would we spend close to $50,000, and spend a recruiting trip to Puerto Rico, when we really don't go in our own backyard," said Eddie Crawford, Dallas Police Association.
Still, department officials say they expect to meet their hiring goal of 12 and say it's just as successful as last weekends recruiting session in Dallas that cost $30,000.
"It's a good trip in my mind, and the numbers are consistent with any on site that were getting here," said Simpson.
According to Simpson, there's pressure to hire more Spanish speakers since 35 percent of the city is Hispanic, but Hispanics make up only 15 percent of the police force.
"The charge that I have is an expensive undertaking," said Simpson. "To call it a disaster or not successful is probably short sighted."
Other city leaders support the department's decision to go back to Puerto Rico, where a recruiting mission six years ago resulted in only seven hires.
"That's pretty reasonable," said Simpson. "I'm trying to watch a dollar down there, but we need police officers."
But the Dallas Police Association, which represent 2,400 officers, questions why the department needs to look so far for recruits.
"Puerto Rico is just not a wise move," said Crawford. "If were looking for qualified Spanish speaking people, it's right here in the Metroplex."
In North Texas, on site recruiting is expensive because of overtime and the costs of polygraphing and medical exams.
But the department said it's worth it if the city can reach its goal of three officers per 1,000 residents.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
