TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Many first responder departments like Tucson Fire or the City of South Tucson Police are looking for more people to join their workforce. The City of South Tucson is a city within a city with about 5,000 residents.
But City of South Tucson Chief of Police Danny Denogean said in a smaller department like South Tucson, recruits are able to get big city experiences but on a smaller scale.
"So everything that a big city has you’re going to get experience in that," he said. "A lot of the people and younger kids come here for two or three years and they use us as a training ground which we don’t have a problem with and then they go on to bigger agencies or even work federally."
He said in order to increase the officers in his workforce, the department works with the Pima Community College Police Academy.
"We have several people that come from that academy and we take them on ride-alongs," he said.
Juan Alvarez, the training director at PCC, said police work is changing and they're making sure to teach their cadets the most updated information.
"There is a transition from old style of doing police work to meeting the demands of the 21st century," Alvarez said. "The police officers are expected to work with the community as opposed to working a part of the community.”
The next police academy course at PCC begins in August but Alvarez said they are accepting applications at all times. The students meet every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for nine months. If you're interested in registering, the link to sign up is here.
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