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SALT LAKE CITY -- The economy may be behind what some police agencies say is a major new interest in law enforcement.
More than 100 people applied for a part-time job at the South Ogden Police Department.
In Layton, 138 applied for an entry-level police officer job in November -- 32 percent more than applied for a similar job a year earlier.
At Utah's Police Officer Standards and Training academy, they've actually seen enrollment drop. Highway Patrol Lt. Jeff Nigbur says last year they had 89 cadets, this year there are 52. "That's a decrease of 42 percent," Nigbur said.
He believes much of the difference is because fewer agencies are sponsoring cadets. He says, though, that at the state's satellite academies, where most of the cadets pay for their own training, enrollment is actually up. "People want a steady paycheck," said Nigbur.
Weber County Undersheriff Kevin McCleod says people tend to look for government jobs -- and the benefits and security that comes with them -- when the economy tightens.
He's not sure, though, if that's good or bad for law enforcement. "I think generally law enforcement is that you do it for the love and not for the money," he said. "And right now there are no jobs, so people are looking at this."
The Utah Highway Patrol, like many other agencies in the state, currently has a hiring freeze in place.
E-mail: mgiauque@ksl.com
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