(KNSI) – United States Congressman Tom Emmer met with Waite Park Police Chief Anthony Reznicek Thursday morning about boosting law enforcement staffing at the local level.
Reznicek was promoted to the department’s top position in May after the retirement of Dave Bentrud. He has been with the force for the past ten years, including as a school resource officer and sergeant. Prior to that, Reznicek was an officer in East Grand Forks.
He inherited a department that was authorized for 22 full-time officers, four sergeants, and an investigator. It has struggled to reach those levels and has recently been utilizing the Pathways to Policing grant program to try and bring in personnel from non-traditional backgrounds to fill out its ranks.
Anyone with a two or four-year degree can apply, and their 10-week course at Hennepin Technical College is paid for. Then follows field training within the department before they are officially hired on as a full-time officer.
Waite Park used the program in 2021 and has been trying to bring on two more people in 2023.
Emmer says, “It was great to sit down with Chief Reznicek to discuss his work in Waite Park over the last few months. I look forward to continuing to work with him to ensure our law enforcement officers have the tools and support they need to get the job done.”
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