USA - SCHENECTADY: POLICE DEPARTMENT SEEKS MOSLEM & GUYANESE RECRUITS

Police look to mosques for new officers
Department seeks to add diversity by trying to recruit Muslims and Guyanese

By AZRA HAQQIE, Staff writer

SCHENECTADY -- In an effort to increase diversity, the Schenectady Police Department is reaching out to community and religious groups.

The department, which has 155 members, is looking to hire 12 new police officers over the next year. The recruitment effort is taking place ahead of a civil service exam in December that begins the actual hiring process.

"The (Schenectady) Police Department has undertaken a pro-active recruiting approach," Lt. Pete Frisoni said. "We are visiting colleges, religious organizations and attending community meetings in an effort to stir interest in people taking the exam and joining the Police Department."

At least two area mosques have been among the places visited.

"There was a lot of interest when I visited the Islamic Center of the Capital District," Frisoni said, adding that about a dozen people picked up information packets.

Why go to a place of worship to recruit? Character is the biggest asset when the Police Department recruits at religious places, said Mark R. Chaires, assistant police chief.

"We can have them run and do push-ups and get physically fit. We can make them study and take tests. But for solid character, the place to look is a mosque or synagogue or church," said Chaires. "At the core, religion is about service to the community."

Both Chaires and Frisoni have visited area mosques, spoken with the congregants and passed out information packets. Chaires said he has had some calls back from Muslims expressing interest.

Since Chaires started with the department in 1988, he said he has observed guys in the city playing soccer and volleyball, many of whom were Muslims, possibly immigrants from Afghanistan. He always thought it would be good for someone from the Muslim community to join the agency and help to encourage greater trust in the department.

"Our agency is searching for the best candidate. We think diversity is important. We want the most-qualified candidates. Diversity can contribute to our agency," Chaires said. "Currently, we have five African-Americans, three Latinos and eight women, but it is mostly white males."

Education will be an asset for an applicant. "There is a perception that you don't have to be very educated to apply for police work. Having a four-year degree will help you understand the work. We feel those who have education will appreciate the work we do," Chaires said.

"Even if you are not certain that police work is for you, we encourage people to take the exam and leave it open for yourself," said Chaires.

This will be the first time the police exam will be conducted since Chaires became head of the administration bureau in 2004. Starting pay for a rookie cop is $29,717, which goes up $7,000 after an officer completes police academy.

"By recruiting the way we are, reaching out to a variety of groups and recruiting in a number of different ways, we are trying to get the largest pool of people to take the test. Our effort is to get the most-qualified candidates," he said. He added that the department has also reached out to the city's Guyanese community through a church meeting.

"We will have 12 openings next year," he said, and he hopes Muslims will be among the applicants for the upcoming exam Dec. 2. "We are trying not only to fill openings, but fill them with candidates who will bring qualities on board that will help make us a better department."


WOOO HOOOO ! ! ! Are we soon to see head to toe bag wearing police women?!?

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