Waite Park Applies for Pathways to Policing Grant

(KNSI) – The Waite Park City Council has approved applying for the Pathways to Policing grant to help find non-traditional candidates to be officers.

Police Chief Dave Bentrud told KNSI that every agency is looking for people to fill their ranks. “There’s just huge challenges getting enough qualified applicants to fill all of the police openings that exist within the State of Minnesota.”

He says the grant was used to hire an officer in 2021 and hopes to use the program again. “I think there are a lot of people that want to get involved in law enforcement, are willing to serve but they have family obligations or whatever. That just makes it very difficult to go without a paycheck.”

Anyone with a two or four-year degree could apply under the grant. Bentrud says the program allows a city to put a candidate on the payroll while they attend a 10-week training course at Hennepin Technical College. The candidate would then be paid while they go through field training with the department before becoming a full-time officer.

Waite Park is looking to hire at least two more officers.

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