Oregon Law Enforcement, April 3

City, county, state, tribal, and university law enforcement agencies around Oregon are looking to fill more than 500 vacancies over the next year that are expected due to retirements.  In fact, more than 1,000 currently employed police, corrections and parole and probation officers and 9-1-1 operators around Oregon will be eligible to retire over the next three years. The Oregon State Police, Oregon State Sheriff’s Association, Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training have combined efforts to assist in connecting men and women interested in exciting career opportunities at law enforcement agencies by creating a new centralized webpage www.OregonPoliceJobs.com This webpage lists currently open job vacancies by agency, a link to the application, a link to the agency recruiter, and the salary. DPSST Director Eriks Gabliks said “across the state law enforcement agencies are looking to hire men and women from diverse backgrounds who are problem solvers interested in engaging with community members to help make communities safe.  The theme for the state recruiting effort is “208 Agencies, One Team, One Mission – Keeping Oregon Safe.”  Hundreds of vacancies were successfully filled in 2017 and Gabliks believes that trend will continue in 2018 and beyond as agencies address the large number of retirements expected around the state.  The OregonPoliceJobs.com webpage is an amazing tool that will help get the word out on what is available around the state at a centralized location”  Gabliks also shared that the “Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST), in partnership with the Oregon Peace Officers Association, Oregon State Sheriff’s Association, and the Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police, is pleased to host the 2018 Oregon Criminal Justice Career Fair at the Oregon Public Safety Academy at 4190 Aumsville Highway in Salem on Friday, April 20, 2018 and Saturday, April 21, 2018.   The event will run from 10 am to 2 pm on both days and will not only allow interested applicants to meet representatives from dozens of law enforcement agencies but also find out about the various career opportunities available that range from police, corrections and parole and probation officers; 9-1-1 operators; lab and evidence technicians; crime analysts; forensic chemists; nurses; and many others.  Specialties such as K-9, explosives technicians, marine patrol, tactical, and motor patrol will also be on hand to answer questions and display their equipment. Both day’s of the two-day event will also feature three panel discussions – Why Policing in 2018; Women in Law Enforcement; Military to Law Enforcement: Continuing to Serve.  Gabliks said “In previous years the panel discussions have been well attended and have allowed applicants (and friends and family members) interested in career opportunities to hear first-hand from those currently working in the field what to expect, what a day is like, what challenges and rewards they have experienced, what they wished they would have know when they applied, etc.  Each session is followed by active question and answer sessions.” More than three dozen agencies are participating in this third annual event.  Gabliks said “our message is simple, agencies around the state are looking to hire more than 500 qualified employees, men and women from diverse backgrounds, to fill both sworn and non-sworn positions at city, county, state, tribal, university and federal law enforcement agencies.”