Purdue Police hires two new officers

By Luis Jiménez
Summer Reporter

In hopes of relieving an understaffed patrol division, the Purdue Police Department hired two rookie officers, who began serving the community last May.

Melissa Cosby of Crawfordsville, Ind., and Joseph Kane of LaPorte, Ind., have been hired as probationary officers. A probationary officer goes through various training stages before becoming a regular officer.

Cosby has served as a reserve officer and telecommunications operator for the Crawfordsville Police Department before coming to Purdue as a police dispatcher last year.

Kane was a member of the Purdue Student Security Patrol and has been a dispatcher for the Purdue Police Department since August.

Capt. Tyree Harris, Captain of Patrol for the Purdue Police Department, said the hiring of the officers correspond to a five-officer recruitment process. The new officers were hired in an attempt to replenish the department's staff, which has decreased "mainly through a process of attrition."

Harris said that recently the department has had an officer retire and another officer leaving to pursue employment elsewhere. This has dropped the staff below its minimum officer count and has motivated the hiring of new officers to guarantee an effective and efficient facilitation of the department's service.

"The hiring increase brings us close to replenishing our staff," said Harris. "(They) will bring us more campus coverage; allow us to respond more efficiently, to provide appropriate service to the community."

Harris also said having an adequate number of officers on patrol increase their own safety because they will be able to more readily provide assistance to each other in case there is a situation requiring the call of additional officers.

Regarding the selection process, Harris said, candidates for the position went through a seven-tier process that is efficient in selecting the best people for the positions available.

"(The department) is meticulous about the people we hire," said Harris. "We make sure we got the best people for the job."

After the officers finish the field training program and they become more knowledgeable in several aspects of an officer's daily duties; they will join the Patrol Division.

"We are very happy to have them," said Harris. "We are hoping to have two new more positive, energetic, motivated officers. I think they will bring more excitement to the Patrol Division."

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