Recruit a minority police officer for CPD and get $500

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) –    Retired Chattanooga Police Lieutenant Napoleon “Donut” Williams worked in law enforcement for 45 years.

His favorite part on the job, he said, was connecting with the community.

“Right, in the community, when people got problems being able to solve them for them,” He said.

Williams said he was the first African-American Chattanooga Police Detective, and said community outreach is how police should find new minority officers.

“You’ve got to get out here and talk to ministers, people over the recreation department, where black kids are at and recruit,” Williams said.

Chattanooga Police officers launched an initiative in October known as “Each One, Reach One”.

The police department teamed up with the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga to make the initiative possible.

The Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga supplied a $10,000 grant for the campaign.

Police recruiters are using the “Each One, Reach One” initiative to round up a more diverse police force by offering the public $500 if they successfully recruit a minority cop that enters the August 2017 CPD Cadet Academy.

“Sometimes when, you know an individual through church, through the community, and you know an individual that you can ask them specifically or maybe talk to them, and they may have a desire to become a police officer.  Then that way that person can say hey, yes, why don’t you try out for the Chattanooga police department, because they’re actually hiring,” Chattanooga Police Recruiter Officer Moreland Wilson said.  “So, we’re building a rapport, and that’s why the Each One, Reach One was launched”.

According to law enforcement officials, Hispanics may make up around 20% of the scenic city’s population by 2020.

2010 census numbers showed the city’s population as 58% white, 35% black, and 5% Hispanic.

In 2016, Chattanooga’s Police Officers were 78% white, 17% black, and 3% Hispanic.

“We’re trying to reach out for minorities like Hispanic, black, and Asian that can be able to come and join us, to be able to represent, the various communities,” Chattanooga Police Recruiter Officer Neysa Rios said.

The Chattanooga Police Department also has a Minority Internship Program that allows people interested in becoming an officer work within various entities of public safety.

As for Williams, he said he thinks CPD doesn’t have enough minorities, and also feels it’s important that more join the force.

For more information on recruiting and what it takes to get into the academy log on to http://www.chattanooga.gov/police-department/employmentrecruitment

For information on “Each One, Reach One” or to refer a candidate email: cpdrecruiting@chattanooga.gov