By Suzie Ziegler
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Facing an officer shortage, the Chicago Police Department is eyeing a new pool of police recruits: Marines.
CPD officials were at Camp Pendleton this week to recruit U.S. Marines who will soon be transitioning to civilian life, CBS Chicago reported. In just a few days, interested Marines took CPD’s entrance exam, got fingerprinted, took a drug test and completed a questionnaire. That process used to take several months, according to the report.
When asked if targeting Marines would make the department too militant, Deputy Chief Migdalia Bulnes was quick to head off the question.
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“That’s the first question we’re going to get. And no, we’re not,” Bulnes told CBS Chicago. “They’re individuals just like us, just like you — everybody. They’re an individual. The process will weed out those who have issues.”
This isn’t the first time CPD has recruited at a military base. Last month, CPD successfully recruited 20 individuals at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, according to the report.
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