Police in Birmingham launched a Police trainee program – WBRC

Birmingham, Ala. (WBRC) – The Birmingham Police Department is still working to increase the number of employees, and leaders are launching their police trainee program this month.

The program is aimed at persons who have expressed interest in becoming officers, but still do not meet all qualifications.

Participants will receive training and mentoring from current employees until they are ready for the Academy. They will be compensated while working in the interns program and qualify for certain benefits.

The leaders noted that they had lost strong candidates who were not quite ready for the Police Academy in other departments throughout the country. They hope that this initiative will help to hold these persons in BPD.

The Birmingham Police Department also offers the GRIT program, which supports recruits who are struggling to pass the physical agility test. This program provides training to prepare the participants in the Academy and now these candidates will also qualify for the paid police trainees program. BPD hopes this will improve the recruitment efforts.

“The police training program offers different levels of training with its own curriculum, together with opportunities to work with our personalized physical trainers. This will prepare them for the legitimate exam and qualification for firearms, areas where we often see candidates fighting at the Academy. This gives them an initial start in these aspects, “said Deputy Chief Rhodarius Mauldin.

To become an officer with BPD, you must be at least 19 years old; Those who are 18 may join the police trainee program.

Deputy Chief Mauldin emphasizes that this opportunity allows them to provide a paid position for young adults, including the elderly. “This program offers mentoring, guidance and paid opportunity when they go to a career in law enforcement,” he explained.

The next class of the Academy begins in March 2025, with another scheduled for this summer. They hope candidates who are not quite ready for March will benefit from the trainee program.

“Some candidates perform well to the basic standards of our physical evaluation test, but they have to wait for the academy to begin. In the meantime, we noticed that other agencies were able to get on some of these candidates. We want to remove this process and provide a paid opportunity for them to start their journey with BPD while waiting for our next academy session, “Mauldin adds.

In April, the department will hold a graduation for its largest dialing class since 2013, welcoming over 25 new officers.

In addition, various career opportunities are available in the department, from law enforcement agencies to corrective staff. Birmingham police are also actively recruiting clerks to assist in prison in Birmingham City. To learn more about these positions, click here.

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