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MOORHEAD, Minn. – College students will soon be able to apply to become cadets with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
The Clay County Commission unanimously approved the program.
“It would be good for us as far as recruiting in the future to where we are able to see how [cadets] operate and how they operate under stress,” Sheriff Mark Empting said.
Criminal justice students will receive basic training including lessons on use of force and first aid and have the opportunity to be hired after graduating.
Empting said it’s important for them to learn about patrol, investigations and being a bailiff.
The program won’t cost the county any extra money since the Sheriff’s Office will fund the program from a retiring deputy’s salary.
Empting said the Sheriff’s Office has recently had to pay deputies overtime to fill open bailiff shifts. Empting tells Flag Family News his office will be fully-staffed next week, but the shifts have been open because of vacation, sick time, compensation time, military leave, or paid leave.
The Clay County Commission also unanimously approved the Sheriff’s Office joining the Minnesota BCA’s anti-heroin task force.
It will be reimbursed up to $5,000 per case for heroin or opioid investigations once approved by the BCA.
“It’s a little bit different than what you would normally think of as a task force where you’re working as a group for the investigations. Being part of this task force, we can operate individually for our investigations and submit the programs to the BCA,” Clay County Chief Deputy Chris Martin said.
