I think we all appreciate now more than ever efforts by police departments to increase transparency, communication, and representation with the communities they serve. Relationships are key in law enforcement work, and I applaud the departments and officers who continue to strive to build these relationships with every member of their communities.
Last week, the Waite Park Police Department announced that it had applied for and received a grant from the state of Minnesota for its Pathways to Policing program. Pathways to Policing strives to recruit candidates who are interested in law enforcement as a profession but are currently working in another field. This grant gives Waite Park Police Chief Dave Bentrud the opportunity to hire additional officers who will have both the passion and the ability to become an officer and then start building these relationships even if they are from different professional backgrounds.