VIDEO: CPD Officer Numbers Continue to Rise

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Having certified officers is crucial to the department.

Right now, the force stands at about 55 and it is approved for 67.

Each day, the men and women behind the badge, come to the Columbus police department shorthanded.

Officers must go to the training academy in a certain length of time after being hired.

The department believes more certified officers on the streets make everyone safer.

Working overtime and being worried about having a back-up at scene, have become almost daily battles for Columbus officers the past few years.

The force has seen low numbers, as few as 44 policemen, but the numbers are climbing.

“The mayor, the council, and the chief, promised to increase our numbers and that has been done,” says Mayor Robert Smith.

Next month, 14 officer trainees will pack their bags for the police academy in the Delta.

It comes at a cost of nearly $4,000 dollars per officer. Chief Oscar Lewis believes it’s worth every dollar.

“I like to be in this situation, considering the things that we’ve faced with trying to get the numbers up, and the work that these officers have been putting in on the streets and making things work continuously for us without the number of officers that we’re suppose to have.”

Once the cadets pass the academy, Lewis says the state usually pays the department back.

To make sure the department doesn’t loose any newly certified officers, certain guidelines are in place.

“They are required to stay here a minimum of three years before another department gains that person as a law enforcement officer, and like I say, that is usually pro-rated, but as far as us having a policy, I mean, you can’t force anybody to stay in any job. If they want to resign, they’re going to go,” says Lewis.

Officers will go through field training and other steps when they return to Columbus.

This is a job Haley Lucas has dreamed about since she was a little girl.

“It feels good to be a part of something that’s going to help this department, along with help this city, because I mean, it has been a struggle and to know that we’re going to provide support that’s very well needed, it helps me sleep at night.”

The 14 officers have a diverse background they’ll take to the streets.

“I wanted to do this ever since I was teenager when I joined the police explorers and ever since then, I’ve just had the passion to become it, but before this, I was a truck driver and it didn’t work out so good, so I was like let me just chase my dream and here I am right now,” says police trainee, Shaun Neal.

Chief Lewis tells us the city council will consider hiring five additional officers on Tuesday night.

If approved, that would be about 60 officers hired by CPD.