Tag Archives: hiring

$750k grant allows Wyoming police to add six officers

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Crime Prevention, Hard News, Our Cities, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Thanks to a federal grant totaling three-quarters of a million dollars, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes by adding six community police officers to its department.

During a National Night Out event, a Wyoming police officer helps a resident on a motorcycle. Through a federal grant, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety plans to expand its Community Services Unit. (WKTV)

The Department was awarded the $750,000 Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program grant from the United States Department of Justice. The Wyoming City Council accepted the grant at its Dec. 20 council meeting. With the grant money, the Department will be able to add six officers to its department, bring the police department’s total number of sworn officers to 99.

“We have seen a significant increase in violent crimes,” said Capt. Timothy Pols, the department’s public relations officer. “Last year, we had eight homicides, which is an all-time high for the city.”

Pols said the department could not contribute the increase specifically to COVID, as there was a rise before the pandemic started. However, current conditions have impacted the community with there having been an increase in reported shootings involving property damage and people being hurt, he said.

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety has been searching for funding to help increase its numbers. The COPS Hiring Program is designed to reduce crime and advance public safety through community policing by proving direct support to state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies nationwide. The program funding supports the hiring of career law enforcement officers to increase an agency’s community policing capacity and crime prevention. The funding covers up to 75 percent of the approved entry-level salaries and fringe benefits of full-time officers for three years. The city is required to cover the remaining 25 percent.

The COPS Hiring Program is an open solicitation. For the 2021 fiscal year, COPS received 590 applications from about every state and U.S. territory. It awarded grants to 183 state, local, and trial law enforcement agencies totaling $139,232,523 to support the hire of 1,066 full-time officers and deputies.

The Wyoming Department of Public Safety was one of four police departments in Michigan to receive a COPS Hiring Program grant. The other cities to receive funding were Battle Creek, West Branch, and Hamtramck. Wyoming received the highest awarded grant monies out of the four Michigan cities that received funding.

“Obviously this is a great thing for the City of Wyoming and it is really hard to turn money like that down,” said Mayor Jack Poll during the Dec. 20 City Council meeting. The grant does come with the requirement that the city fund the new six positions for at least 12 months beyond the three-year time period. The department hopes through additional local funding to maintain the new positions beyond the three-year timeframe.

The Community Services Unit works on building relationships. (WKTV)

The COPS Hire Program grant is dedicated to community policing. With the six new hires, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety will be able to move seasoned officers into its Community Services Unit, which currently consists of four Community Services Officers, three School Resource Officers, and a supervisor. By expanding the community policing, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety hopes to curtail gun violence and violent crimes through expanded evening coverage; adding a dedicated crime analyst office, gang intelligence officer, dedicated apartment liaison, and dedicated hotel/motel liaison; and increasing participation with juvenile offender reentry programs and area summer camps comprised predominately of at-risk youth along with high visibility patrols, especially in high crime areas and other community policing initiatives.

Currently, the Department is in the hiring process, Pols said adding that they have interviewed some strong candidates.

“With all that has happened in the past couple of years with COVID, I believe it has given us some dedicated candidates who have a good understanding about what is involved with today’s police work,” Pols said.

The department is seeking to fill the six positions along with several other positions that will be opening up due to retirements this year. Pols said the goal is to have the positions filled by the end of 2022. 

Employment Expertise: Five Strengths Veterans Bring to a Job

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, How-To's, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, Veterans, , , , ,

By West Michigan Works!

 

Veterans leave the military with a set of skills valuable to employers. Here are five skills essential to every job-seeking veteran’s resume:

  1. Strong work habits — Veterans in the workplace are known for completing projects in a timely, efficient manner. These work habits are a result of maturity, integrity and self-confidence learned during the service.
  2. Flexibility and adaptability — Individuals in the service are trained to meet the changing needs of their environment and are quick to adapt to the new working environment.
  3. Initiative — Veterans bring with them the ability to create a plan of action that translates into the ability to solve problems quickly and independently.
  4. Ability to work under pressure and to meet deadlines — Military service requires a job done right the first time. Service members can prioritize, adjust and deal with stress in a positive manner.
  5. Ability to give and follow directions — People in the military understand accountability and how to work well with others. They’re respectful yet direct when making sure a job is well done.

Veteran Appreciation Week

All ten service centers in West Michigan are celebrating veterans and their spouses during Veteran Week from Nov. 6-9.

 

Events include:

  • Veteran Priority Day: receive on-demand services such as resume development, career exploration, interviewing skills. Appointment not needed.
  • Early Veteran access Hiring Events: meet with employers looking for new talent before everyone else.

See the list of all events here.


Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

Employment Expertise: The thank-you note — a job seeker’s secret weapon

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, , , , ,

 

By West Michigan Works!

 

You submitted your resume, got an interview and left the interview feeling great. Now, it’s time to relax. Job searching is tough work! Before you celebrate, there’s one last step to your job search: A thank-you note.

 

One out of three employers think less of a candidate who doesn’t send a thank-you note. One in 10 wouldn’t hire someone if they don’t send a thank-you note, according to Career Builder.
Here are some tips to help you write a great thank-you note:

  • Keep it short, professional and sincere.
  • Send the note within 24 hours of your interview. Hiring managers are busy. If they receive your note a day or two after your interview, it shows them you are organized. And, it helps them remember you as they make hiring decisions.
  • A hand-written note is best. The average hiring manager receives 100+ emails a day. Make your thank-you note stand out by sending it through the postal service instead of their clogged inbox.
  • Choose a thank-you note that is simple and professional. Avoid cartoons, silly sayings and bright colors.
  • Use the three sentence rule:
    1. Thank them for the interview. “Thank you for taking the time to interview me yesterday.”
    2. Add something personal from your interview. Reference a specific conversation or a question they asked. Or, talk about something you liked from the interview. “I really enjoyed hearing more about your company culture.”
    3. Repeat your interest in the job. Remind them you’ll be a great addition to their organization. “I look forward to working with you in the future. My background will help [name of organization] continue to grow.”
  • Don’t forget to add “Dear [their name]” and the beginning, and “Sincerely, [your name]” at the end.

 

Employment Expertise is provided by West Michigan Works! Learn more about how they can help: visit westmiworks.org or your local Service Center.

School News Network: Tuesday Job Fair Seeks Teachers, Support Staff

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Education, , , ,

With a job fair Tuesday, March 7, Kent ISD and EDUStaff seek to increase the substitute teachers and support staff local districts badly need. The job fair takes place from 10am-2pm at Kent ISD’s administration building, 2930 Knapp Street NE, Grand Rapids, 49525.

 

EDUStaff is a Grand Rapids area company formed in 2010 to provide substitute staff for schools and works with many districts across the state. (EDUStaff is also a sponsor of School News Network.)

 

Finding substitute staff is increasingly difficult for schools, according to Kent ISD Superintendent Ron Caniff. “As Michigan’s job market has improved, our districts are having a tough time finding good staff, including subs. And these subs are a critical resource and an important part of the school family. They help students keep learning when staff are out ill, tending to the needs of their own families, or participating in the professional development that improves achievement.”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.