Now that the election is over, I must focus my attention to the recruitment of officers.

In law enforcement, recruitment is constant. From those that have dutifully served their community for more than 30 years and are ready to enjoy the next chapter of retirement, to the younger officers who come to realize that the challenge is too much, too time consuming or just overwhelming, the St. John Sheriff’s Office is always looking for a few good men … and women.

But, first, the question!

Why do you want to become a police officer?

Some applicants say, “I lost my job or I need a job with benefits.” Some say, “I want a job but I do not want to carry a gun.”

Recruitment in law enforcement means searching for a person who has the heart of a true servant. You must be ready to protect and serve every day, even on your days off. There are 12-hour shifts, sometimes hours without pay, but the reward of serving your community is much larger if law enforcement is your calling.

For some of us it may have been watching CHIPS or Starsky and Hutch growing up that gave us the urge to wear the uniform.

Or today watching CSI Miami, New York, or NYPD Blue gives a false sense of what law enforcement is really like. All of those programs last one hour, including commercials, with the case being solved.

As we watch the unfortunate incidents of officers being killed across the country, recruiting people to be police officers has become difficult.

I have personally attended career days at the high schools in St. John Parish, presenting our employment packages and competing with industry employment packages at the next table.

It is hard to paint a pretty picture of salary and benefits for this career when the other side of law enforcement that is a turnoff for potential employees when they see the current problems in law enforcement played out in the media.

At the St. John Sheriff’s Office we are fortunate another POST certified class graduated from the academy on Nov. 12. This group of young officers will be assigned to patrolling the streets of SJP and keeping our parish safe in just a few weeks.

The job never changes, but people change in every generation.

We must simply adapt our techniques, never losing our ground root efforts to connect with our community.

At SJSO, we are still looking for a few good men and women to do the job of protecting and serving the citizens of St. John Parish.

It’s not a job that everyone wants to do and not a job that everyone can do. If you have the heart of a true servant and a calling to serve, let us put you to the test.

Apply to St. John Sheriff’s Office online at stjohnsheriff.org or in person at the Percy Hebert Building, located at 1801 W. Airline Highway in LaPlace.

Mike Tregre is Sheriff of St. John the Baptist Parish. He can be reached at sheriff@stjohnsheriff.org.