The dirty little secret in suppressing crime

I agree, but talk to the acaddamy staff we have more and more doing just that, because they have more options

... what needs to change is the benefits. Better pay, better hours, better insurance, better retirement, and so on as well as a change in perception by the community.

Although I agree with this point, I also must point to what Abramson said a few years ago when questioned about White's pay: if you want that kind of talent, you need to pay for it.

This is where I see a deterioration in the hiring practices of the agency. Although the pay and benefits are not necessarily bad, they're not nearly as high as someone with some of the qualifications could get in the private sector (or with another agency). More agencies around Louisville are requiring that an applicant be DOCJT certified before hire, and their incentives are better pay, better hours, better benefits, etc. And lets face it, I think the incentive of working any shift without dealing with the crack heads and other thugs in the more deprived areas of Louisville is plenty enticing for most people to lateral.

I agree that being 21 and having a pulse should not give someone entry. However, I think some views of considering past employment recognitions and giving consideration to the circumstances that the person may have had to deal with before applying may also make a candidate more worthwhile, even if they don't meet the current mandatory cut-off.