South Kent News

City of Kentwood recently issued the following announcement.

The Kentwood Police Department is inviting community members who are interested in becoming a police officer to apply for its sponsored police recruit position.

The department will pay participants $23 an hour while they attend the Grand Valley State University Police Academy or another approved police training program, as well as cover the cost of training. Upon successful completion of training, background checks, orientation and other requirements, police recruits will be sworn in as patrol officers with the Kentwood Police Department.

To be considered for this full-time employment opportunity, applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old.
• Have a valid driver’s license.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Have a high school or GED diploma.
• Have no prior felony convictions or certain misdemeanor convictions according to MCOLES guidelines.

“The Kentwood Police Department is committed to creating a local path to a career in law enforcement for both traditional and non-traditional students,” Police Chief Bryan Litwin said. “This sponsored position has proven successful as part of our efforts to recruit and hire individuals who are representative of Kentwood’s diverse community. As our department continues to face staffing shortages, we believe sponsorships are critical to achieving appropriate staffing levels and remaining competitive with other police agencies.”

Applications for the sponsored police recruit position will be accepted through April 15. For more information or to apply, visit kentwood.us/employment. For questions, contact Capt. Ryan VanderVeen at vanderveenr@kentwood.us or 616.656.6503.

Original source can be found here.