Posted on: Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Police applicants on Maui get one-stop service

By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Maui County Bureau

WAILUKU, Maui — Facing an ongoing manpower shortage, the Maui Police Department is trying something new to get an edge in recruiting police officers.

The first-ever police job fair has been scheduled for July 31 in hopes of luring applicants to a daylong event of test-taking and application shortcuts. Prospective recruits will be able to fill out an application, take a written test, get their test results and complete the initial processing all in one day.

"We're combining three steps in one big hurrah," Lt. Jon Morioka said yesterday.

What's more, the three-hour written test will be given twice at the fair, allowing those who failed in the morning a chance to take the test again in the afternoon. Usually, the test is administered only once a month, with results released within days or weeks.

"We think this event is a first in the state, and if it's effective, we're going to offer it to the different islands," Morioka said.

The Maui Police Department, like others in Hawai'i, has been struggling with manpower shortages for several years. The department has 351 authorized police officer positions with 35 vacancies — a 10 percent vacancy rate.

On O'ahu, the Honolulu Police Department has 2,062 sworn positions and 260 vacancies — a 12.5 percent vacancy rate.

On Maui, the starting salary for police officers is $34,744 a year. After completing training and a one-year probationary period, the minimum salary is $37,515 a year.

Registration at the Maui police job fair will be from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., July 31, at the Hale Maka'i main station at 55 Mahalani St. in Wailuku. Tests will be administered at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Applicants must have a driver's license to register for the test, along with two No. 2 pencils. If the written test is passed, the processing step should take two to three hours to complete.

But don't expect to walk out with a badge and gun. In the weeks and months ahead, there will be interviews, background checks, medical screening and psychological testing, followed by six months of paid recruit training and four months of ride-along time.

Staff writer Peter Boylan contributed to this report. Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.