Shortage reflected in fewer candidates taking police test

Sixty candidates seeking employment as police officers in and around Erie County will undergo testing this Saturday through the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Police Test Consortium. A decade ago, when the Mercyhurst University Municipal Police Training Academy assumed management of the consortium, the number of candidates taking the test was three times greater.

The current statistics reflect a national shortage of law enforcement officers, decidedly pronounced in Pennsylvania, a situation that could be considered dire, said Police Academy Director Bill Hale. With retirement rates up and new recruits in short supply, municipalities across the state are struggling to fill their ranks with qualified candidates. In Philadelphia alone, Hale noted, departments are understaffed by 1,700 officers.

Created in 2014, the consortium conducts police testing for 27 law enforcement agencies in and around Erie County, including the Erie and Millcreek police departments, the Erie County Prison, and the sheriff's departments in Erie, Venango, and Warren counties.

Through the consortium, candidates can take the physical and written exam in one place. When they pass, they're added to a master list distributed to police departments across the region. It makes hiring easier for police departments, as well as the candidates who now don't have to take multiple tests for various departments.

Although the number of candidates taking the test continues to dwindle, Hale said he has noticed an uptick in applicants for the police academy.  “We were down to 11 in 2020, but the current class has 21 cadets, and I’m hoping for even more when the next one starts in January.”

Hale noted that when Gov. Josh Shapiro was at the academy in March to talk about his administration’s investment in public safety and taking steps to recruit more police officers, he also proposed a three-year incentive of up to $2,500 a year for new police officers.

Signup for Saturday’s consortium testing is closed, but anyone interested in enrolling in the police academy’s next class in January can attend one of eight information sessions beginning in September. See the complete schedule and learn more at the Mercyhurst Municipal Police Academy webpage.