By Jim Balloch
Knoxville News-Sentinel
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Hoping to draw on one another’s expertise and training, the Knoxville Police Department and the U.S. Army Reserve have entered into a joint recruitment program of sorts.
It is the first deal of its kind in Tennessee between the Army Reserve and a law enforcement agency, officials say. The papers were signed Wednesday at the City County Building.
“It goes without saying, a good soldier makes a good police officer, and a good police officer makes a good soldier,” KPD Chief Sterling Owen said.
It will work this way: Army recruits who train as military police officers and express an interest in a law enforcement career will be directed to KPD as a police agency that is supportive of the Army Reserve and offers advantages many others do not, such as an educational incentive program by which college credits can be earned.
“This program allows us to tell that recruit who expresses an interest in a career in law enforcement that we have a partnership with agencies that may be interested in employing them,” said Maj. Gen. Adolphe McQueen, commander of the 200th Military Police Command at Fort Meade, Md. Civilian law enforcement training complements military police training, McQueen said.
KPD expects the program to provide the agency with qualified potential police recruits who have already had some police experience and exposure to an environment that emphasizes order and discipline. Regardless of experience, however, all such recruits will have to complete KPD’s own training program.
When away on active military reserve duty, KPD officers continue to draw pay and accrue health insurance and retirement benefits, KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said.
Copyright 2008 Knoxville News-Sentinel