Green Bay to reduce college credit requirements for police applicants

GREEN BAY, Wis (WGBW) – Fewer college credits will be required for officers applying to be a part of the Green Bay Police Department after the Police and Fire Commission approved a change to recruitment and hiring processes during its meeting last week.

The change also allows for video interviews. 

The Green Bay Police and Fire Commission held a special meeting on Tuesday, July 22, to discuss the hiring changes. The city currently has 15 open positions and 7 upcoming retirements in the police department. But has had difficulty filling those positions.

“Recruiting quality candidates has become increasingly difficult due to a limited number of qualified candidates, competition with other police agencies, and a current process that can take 5-6 months from the date a candidate applies to the date of the final interview and approval to hire by the Police and Fire Commission (PFC),” reads a memo from Human Resources Generalist Jennifer Smits to the commission.

To expedite the hiring process and make it easier to fill vacancies, the Green Bay Police will review applications and schedule interviews every week, rather than quarterly. They will replace the report writing test with a written exam and will drop the college credit requirement for officers who have not yet completed the police academy from 60 credits to 40 credits. 

Once hired, new recruits will receive 20 college credits upon completion of the police academy, which would then allow them to meet the state requirement of 60 college credits within the first five years of employment. Officers who have already completed the academy will still be required to have 60 college credits.

The department will start using the new recruiting standards and process within the next month or so. The GBPD and the Police and Fire Commission will need to finalize questions for video interviews and the written exam before the new processes can be implemented. Potential applicants at Green Bay Police Department must be at least 18 years old, be U.S. citizens, and have a valid driver’s license and an excellent driving record.