Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New Castle County police recruits new officers as part of community engagement

Megan Pauly
/
Delaware Public Media
Timothy Arnett, far left, poses at an event Tuesday at Rita's in New Castle hoping to better link police officers and community members.

Some New Castle County Police officers spent part of their day doing a different kind of duty - serving water ice at a Rita’s in New Castle.

The community outreach event was planned before last week’s shootings in Baton Rouge, St. Paul and Dallas.  

Major Wendi Feeser says it was meant to build on a similar event a few months ago where a police officers were “baristas for a day.” The goal is to better connect police with the communities they work in, and help humanize officers.

 

“Every life matters. We think we have a great rapport with our citizens, we do a lot to get out and interact with them and we hope events like this make them realize you know, we’re people and we really care about them," she said. "Whatever’s going on in the rest of the world we need to watch that, but our focus is what’s going on here.”  

 

Middletown resident Timothy Arnett enjoyed a strawberry Rita’s water ice on Tuesday. He says events like the one hosted by New Castle County police are essential.

 

“With recent events I think it’s very important that we realize we’re all part of the same race and that’s the human race. And if we can all start that type of dialogue and that type of understanding I think it can definitely defeat the hate, the diversion of important topics and division.”

But it’s not the only measure county police has taken to improve community and officer interaction.

 

Applicants no longer need a four-year college degree to get hired: instead they must show five years of steady employment or completion of 60 college credit hours.

 

Officer Jerriann Cumberbatch is a recruiter for the New Castle County police department. She thinks the changes will help attract a more diverse group of applicants.

"We look for quality people with good morals and that truly want to give back and help people I think sometimes when you watch TV some people think all police officers do is we arrest people and pull over cars. Yes, we do that but we do so many other things," Cumberbatch said.

 

Cumberbatch says they’ve been actively seeking applicants - recruiting at places like Chick-fil-A, Christiana Mall, and local universities.

Those interested can apply online or in-person.

Feeser wants to see events like Tuesday’s more often.  She adds a cooking contest for kids and police is in the works for this fall.

She also urged people to consider joining the New Castle County police force, especially now that a four-year degree is no longer need to apply.

Feeser added at least 15 slots are available - or will come available in the near future.

 

Related Content