The Albuquerque Police Department announced in a release this week that it has teamed up with local partners to create a working group that will assist the city on recruiting efforts to hire more members of the African American community.
The purpose of the group is to recruit black men, women and young adults to enroll in the Police Service Aide Program, as well as become Police Officers. APD also plans to work to recruit qualified individuals to fill civilian positions through institutions like the University of New Mexico, Central New Mexico Community College, and other state universities and colleges. The professional positions include Forensic Specialists, Investigators, and various levels of administrative roles.
The working-group is aware of the need to increase the number of African Americans on the APD workforce to serve and protect the community. Collectively, community partners decided to work in concert with APD to assist in the accomplishment of its recruitment and hiring goals.
The Community Recruitment Group will take a positive approach in assisting with efforts to grow the police force and an effective working partnership has been established to achieve positive results.
Action items
- Develop a strategic action plan that will result in a higher number of African Americans who enroll in the PSA program and apply to test for acceptance into the APD Police Academy.
- Put in place a retention plan to keep African American officers at the police department.
- Sponsor a joint community, city and APD recruitment fair/forum for the African American Community and other invited diverse groups. Now scheduled for January 21, 2023 at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial site.
- Continue our joint partnership with the Albuquerque Public Schools System’s ROTC program to recruit seniors for the APD Police Service Aide Program.
- Develop a statewide plan to identify and recruit African Americans from state universities and colleges. Include a component to recruit out of state candidates at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
- Although emphasis is placed on African Americans, the Group will communicate and work with leaders and representatives of communities to reflect diversity and inclusion.
Community partners
- MLK State Commission
- State Office of African American Affairs
- Albuquerque NAACP
- African American Student Services-UNM
- National Council of Negro Women
- Black Fraternities and Sororities-UNM and Graduate Chapters
- Southern Christian Leadership Conference
- Ministers Fellowship of Albuquerque and Vicinity
