Hinesville police are developing a new position to combat underemployment

HAINESVILLE, Ga. (WSAV) — Law enforcement agencies across the country are struggling to get the younger generation to come forward. Hinesville police say they’re trying to get ahead of the curve by getting a little creative.

In the latest job opening, the Hinesville police don’t have a gun or a police badge, and they can’t arrest you.

“No matter how much money you put into it, we’re just not going to attract those who want to be law enforcement officers.”

Police Chief Lloyd Slater told News 3 that their Public Safety Support Specialists – PS3s for short – will be handling non-emergency calls like parking lot hangouts, which will lighten the load on sworn officers.

“We’re understaffed, so we don’t want to take an officer off the road and put him on private property where it takes a half hour to 45 minutes to complete a report on private property,” Slater said.

Slater says he hopes the job, designed more like a civil servant position, can attract applications from younger generations who have negative attitudes toward police and improve police-public relations.

Slater explained: “They create their own reputation in their own way, so whatever negative impressions people have of the police, this is our opportunity to step forward and change that.”

PS3 training takes half the time of a regular officer and they accept young people.

Chief Slater tells me the most important thing they look for is a good attitude and willingness to help.

Applications close at the end of this month, when the 8-week training will begin. We could see them in the field by November.