SCPD hosts career expo for college students
Jeremy McClure
Officer Andrew Dutler speaks to area college students about a career with the Sioux City Police Department.
The Sioux City Police Department hosted their second annual Law Enforcement Career Expo for area college students interested in a career in law enforcement on Feb. 4.
During the expo, seventy students from Morningside College, Briar Cliff University, and Western Iowa Tech Community College had an opportunity to hear presentations from not only the Sioux City Police Department but also the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“Each organization had time to talk about the opportunities available for applicants hired with them and also what their standards are for people interested in joining them,” said Officer Andrew Dutler, a career mentor with the police department and the organizer of the event.
In addition to hearing what opportunities each agency has to offer, the students had a chance to ask in-depth questions about those agencies such as what each agency is looking for in a candidate and what other skills are they looking for.
They also learned some tips for getting ready for a career in law enforcement.
Special Agent Scott Christian, a recruiter for the Drug Enforcement Agency, explains what qualifications the DEA is looking for in a candidate.
“Every agency has a physical standard and so it is important that people interested in applying for us or any other agency starts training for their physical fitness test,” said Dutler.
The timing of the expo is planned for February as many agencies open their application processes during the spring and many of the students are preparing for graduation.
“Our application process opens Feb. 10 and runs through March 6,” explained Dutler. “It is a lengthy process and our list of eligible candidates will be finalized in June. All of the agencies in attendance have just as rigorous of a process and we all are looking for the best candidates.”
If you are interested in a career with the Sioux City Police Department, to go to www.siouxcitypolice.com/careers to learn more. If you would like to speak to a career mentor or have additional questions, email Officer Andrew Dutler at adutler@sioux-city.org.
You can also learn more about the agencies and career opportunities with them at the following links.
Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office https://www.woodburycountyiowa.gov/departments/sheriff
Iowa State Patrol https://dps.iowa.gov/divisons/administrative-services/dps-careers
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) https://www.dea.gov/careers
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) https://www.fbijobs.gov/