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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\u201cLakeland is growing rapidly,\u201d Officer Wakesha Phidd said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it is, in part, up to Phidd as the Lakeland Police Department\u2019s recruiting officer to fill openings as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For her, joining a police force was personal. Phidd\u2019s father was an officer in Jamaica, and she wanted to follow in his footsteps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have a large population of people that want to become police officers like it was back in the day,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last month, according to police,\u00a0detectives were shot at\u00a0inside their cruiser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years, the Lakeland Police Department\u00a0has defended itself\u00a0against\u00a0allegations of police brutality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We asked Officer Phidd if she thought headlines like that had an impact on recruiting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s a challenge at all,\u201d she said. \u201cIn this field, I feel like in order to do this job you have to have a passion for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The department has also made headlines for its past recruitment efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2021, Lakeland PD\u00a0recruited 13 officers from the New York City Police Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phidd said similar recruitment efforts are possible, especially with agencies going after the same small pool of candidates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are smack dab in the middle so we have to compete with Hillsborough and Orange County and other surrounding agencies,\u201d Phidd said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lakeland City Commission recently approved five new officer positions and an increased starting salary of $65,000 a year, according to the police department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Applicants with experience may start at a higher pay rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monday, LPD opened applications for nine \u201ccertified officers,\u201d who are officers with experience or who are already enrolled at the police academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This group would help fill a void at the department between young officers and veterans who are getting ready to retire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur agency is somewhat young right now so we\u2019d like to bring some of that experience in and just kind of have a good mixture of people,\u201d Phidd said. \u201cWe have a lot of officers that would like to transfer to our department if they\u2019re coming from a smaller agency, and they just want a little bit more experience or exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief Sam Taylor has\u00a0told commissioners in the past\u00a0he would like to add 35 or 36 more officers to the department in the next six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The application period for certified officers will be open until September 30th or until they get 50 qualified applications, whatever comes first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n