‘Lakeland is growing rapidly’: Lakeland police opens applications for certified officers

LAKELAND, Fla. (WFLA) — Lakeland police leaders have long said they need more officers to keep up with growth.

Monday, the police department opened applications for officers already embarking on their policing career.

“Lakeland is growing rapidly,” Officer Wakesha Phidd said.

So it is, in part, up to Phidd as the Lakeland Police Department’s recruiting officer to fill openings as quickly as possible.

For her, joining a police force was personal. Phidd’s father was an officer in Jamaica, and she wanted to follow in his footsteps.

“We don’t have a large population of people that want to become police officers like it was back in the day,” she said.

Last month, according to police, detectives were shot at inside their cruiser.

In recent years, the Lakeland Police Department has defended itself against allegations of police brutality .

News Channel 8 asked Officer Phidd if she thought headlines like that had an impact on recruiting.

“I don’t think it’s a challenge at all,” she said. “In this field, I feel like in order to do this job you have to have a passion for it.”

The department has also made headlines for its past recruitment efforts.

In 2021, Lakeland PD recruited 13 officers from the New York City Police Department .

Phidd said similar recruitment efforts are possible, especially with agencies going after the same small pool of candidates.

“We are smack dab in the middle so we have to compete with Hillsborough and Orange County and other surrounding agencies,” Phidd said.

The Lakeland City Commission recently approved five new officer positions and an increased starting salary of $65,000 a year, according to the police department.

Applicants with experience may start at a higher pay rate.

Monday, LPD opened applications for nine “certified officers,” who are officers with experience or who are already enrolled at the police academy.

This group would help fill a void at the department between young officers and veterans who are getting ready to retire.

“Our agency is somewhat young right now so we’d like to bring some of that experience in and just kind of have a good mixture of people,” Phidd said. “We have a lot of officers that would like to transfer to our department if they’re coming from a smaller agency, and they just want a little bit more experience or exposure.”

Chief Sam Taylor has told commissioners in the past he would like to add 35 or 36 more officers to the department in the next six years.

The application period for certified officers will be open until September 30th or until they get 50 qualified applications, whatever comes first.

To apply, visit https://lakelandgov.net/departments/lakeland-police-department/join-our-team/ .

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