When San Diego police recruiters review the applications of aspiring officers, they see some of the same red flags come up again and again — like signs of a troublesome financial history or a poor driving record. Those issues can disqualify applicants, officials say.
That's where a new San Diego Police Department initiative comes in: The Blue Arrow Program, which aims to help prospective applicants understand the problems and work to fix them so they can have a shot at landing a job on the police force.
Participants meet once a month for six months. They learn what the department looks for when it comes to applicants' driving records, social media posts, drug use and other aspects of their lives. The department offers seminars on a rolling basis, so participants can start the program any given month.
The initiative builds on the department's efforts to recruit officers, and comes at a time when the department faces a staffing shortage, particularly after about 230 officers left the department last fiscal year. Other recent recruitment efforts include reinstating bonuses for officers who enlist recruits, as well as bonuses for officers from other agencies who join the San Diego Police Department.
The department also offers "Open CAMP," which are regular workout sessions that are open to the public. The Open CAMP sessions show participants what to expect at the police academy and aim to prepare and mentor potential recruits.
The Blue Arrow Program, police Chief David Nisleit said, is "another piece to the puzzle."
The chief acknowledged in an interview last week that he is uncertain, for now, how much the program will help fill the department's ranks.
"I don't think we'll really see the benefits for some time to come," Nisleit said.
Still, the chief and other department leaders see a benefit to helping prospective applicants be better prepared for the hiring process, and building and maintaining relationships with them at a time when many agencies are competing for new hires.
Lt. Steve Waldheim, of the department's Backgrounds and Recruiting Unit, said about 50 percent of applicants don't make it past a lengthy questionnaire early in the application process. The questions focuses on the applicant's background.
When applicants get turned down, the department does not disclose the reason or reasons. Generally, the department simply tells them when they can reapply.
The Blue Arrow Program allows the department to show rejected applicants it may not close the door on them for good. Participants learn what the department wants — and doesn't want — in an officer, and may help prior applicants understand why they didn't land the job.
"We need people and we want them to come back, and we want them to come back without doing the same thing that disqualified them in the first place," Sgt. Travis Easter, of the Backgrounds and Recruiting Unit, said.
About 20 people attended the monthly seminary held Wednesday. Some were there for the first time.
The session focused on financial red flags. Instructors from the department's backgrounds unit told the participants that the department runs a credit check during the hiring process. And the instructors explained concepts such as debt, bankruptcy, property liens and fraud — and why such financial woes could, according to the department, indicate a lack of integrity on an applicant's part.
The Police Department seeks candidates who "don't cheat, don't lie and are able to keep up with their responsibilities," one instructor, Detective Hilda Gonzalez-Reed, told the group. She added that officers' jobs can be stressful enough, so it is important for officers to keep their finances in line to avoid more stress in their lives.
Sometimes there could be direct consequences that affect their work. Failing to pay child support or spousal support could lead to a suspended driver's license — a problem for officers, most who need to drive every day on the job.
After the lecture, the participants split up into four groups, each tasked with considering a hypothetical financial dilemma. One scenario forced a group to ponder whether bankruptcy is ever acceptable.
Chelsea McEachran said her group felt there are some acceptable situations, namely those that stem from unforeseen circumstances, such as unexpected medical expenses, furloughs or a pandemic. But she also shared a technique she has used to save money and plan ahead. When she worked in hospitality, she said, she would tuck away her tips in different envelopes for various expenses.
"It was the only way I could learn to save in that industry," McEachran said.
After the seminar, McEachran, 33, said she applied to the department in 2020 and was turned down. Wednesday's seminar was her third. She said the Blue Arrow Program has given her valuable insight.
"This shows me exactly where and how to be and what they want from me so I can exude that and be a more viable candidate," she said.
McEachran has set her sights only on the San Diego Police Department, largely because it is a large agency. "I want something that's going to be a challenge," with many job opportunities, she said. Plus, she said, San Diego is one of the safest big cities in the nation.
"No matter how long it will take, it's something that I'm going to do," McEachran said.
Another participant, Breanne Gonzalez, 22, said she applied six months ago. She, too, was turned down. Wednesday's seminar was her first.
"I loved it," Gonzalez said. "I mean, you don't get access to background investigators every day."
She said she believes the program will teach her — and others — how to become the "perfect" applicant.
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