Idaho State Police wants you on their team
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IDAHO FALLS — From now until July 30, Idaho State Police is accepting applications for new recruits.
ISP has been working all month to let people know they are hiring. The agency has positions available across the state. Applicants are needed right now in Salmon and Island Park, but ISP spokesman Chris Weadick tells EastIdahoNews.com the placement of new troopers is always changing.
“We try to honor the applicant’s first choice,” Weadick says. “If we have an opening where they live we would rather have them be in the spot they want. We’ve found over time the less disruption to someone’s personal life, the more likely they are to stay with us for the long term.”
The starting salary ranges from $20 to $23 an hour. Benefits include a car that troopers can take home with them. ISP pays for applicant training and they also have pay incentive programs that allows ISP to pay for schooling and previous work experience. Weadick says new recruits can receive a bump in pay just for speaking Spanish or for working in remote areas. Many troopers also take advantage of overtime pay by taking extra shifts and earning more money.
Getting hired as a trooper is the portal to an ISP career, Weadick says. From there, many different career opportunities are available. Among them are motorcycle and SWAT programs, a commercial vehicle inspection division that inspects semi-trucks. There is also an investigative crime division, a fusion center that receives and gathers intelligence information from other agencies, and a cyber crimes division.
“We get a lot of millenials that love drones and technical analysis. We’ve got a drone program. We’re starting to fly drones at crash scenes and crime scenes. A lot of troopers bring these skills to the table, so our goal is to get the right people in the right positions,” Weadick says.
Once the applications are reviewed, qualified candidates will receive an invite to a panel interview. A physical assessment is part of the hiring process. Minimum requirements include a 14-inch vertical jump, 15 sit-ups in a minute, 21 pushups, a 77 second 300 meter run and a 17 minute 1.5 mile run. Applicants who can pass this test will then need to pass a background check and polygraph test before attending 18 weeks of police academy in Meridian.
The ISP field office in Idaho Falls reports a lag in the number of employees in recent years. Weadick says there are several reasons for this. One reason is Idaho’s historic low unemployment rate. At 2.9 percent, this creates a lot of competition for qualified candidates, Weadick says.
Another reason for ISP’s low number of employees is failed background checks.
“Many applicants nationwide are having a hard time completing a background check. We seek people with high character and high standards. We would rather leave a position open than lower our standards,” Weadick says.
ISP has also seen a negative shift in people’s attitude towards law enforcement, which makes some people reluctant to apply.
“Nowadays everything that we say or do is recorded. I’m good with that because we don’t have anything to hide. But I think that could be a turnoff for some people,” Weadick says. “Idaho State Police is a great law enforcement agency. We really have some exciting opportunities for growth and career development,” Weadick says.
Despite recent history, Weadick says they are encouraged by the number of people who have applied with ISP. Applicants, so far, are a mix of college students, former military personnel and other agency referrals.
If you’d like to apply with ISP, CLICK HERE.
Are you in danger of crashing and burning in your current job? Hit the eject button and come work for the Idaho State Police. Soar to the sky and fly high with the black and whites of Idaho. Apply today https://t.co/Z7kRplpFMO
@IdRecruiting #ISP pic.twitter.com/ubeRAplpc4— Idaho State Police (@ISPeasternIdaho) July 20, 2018