Pueblo Police Department create TikToks to spark interest for potential applicants

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Statistics released Wednesday by the Colorado Springs Police Department shows that 911 calls to the communications center increased in 2021 from 2020 by 13.92 percent.

Less then an hours drive South in Pueblo, police there confirming to KRDO they too are seeing an increase for emergency service calls - which is putting a strain on an already short staffed department.

According to Police Chief Chris Noeller, the department is down in officer by almost two dozen and short 11 dispatchers.

But the recruiting numbers are even more serious - Captain Zach Bellas with the department says in 2019 it was normal to have 400 applicants, but present day they only have 55 and the recruiting period is almost over.

He believes several factors have contributed to this - incidents of police brutality, dwindling pay for law enforcement, and an overall lack of respect or understanding for the industry as a whole.

“This is the most trying time in my career to be a cop...” Captain Bellas said.

Captain Bellas once headed up the recruiting training efforts within the department and says he has never seen such a challenge to recruit officers like what he is seeing present day.

Something everyone in the community should be concerned about.

“What we typically see when our numbers go down, our response times go down as well….” he explains.

He tells KRDO that as they see an increase in calls for emergency services, not having enough recruits to help put more officers on the streets… means not having the ability to serve the community the way it deserves.

“We are trying to do everything we can to make sure we are staffed enough to be able to do that,” he said.

One of those things is approaching recruiting efforts - in a different way. The department now using the viral video app called Tik Tok to appeal to a new generation.

@pueblopoliceofficial PIT Training for our recruits. Want to join in on the fun? We’re accepting applications for patrol officers now. Apply at: pueblo.us/jobs #policeoftiktok #nowhiring #hiringnow #pueblopd #ppd #police ♬ Coming In Hot - Andy Mineo & Lecrae

“One thing that I have always said throughout my career is that if someone could just get to know us, then they would understand the humanity and also the reason we do this," he said. "And I hope by Tik Tok and interactions with us people would understand or start to realize is that we are a part of this community, we are humans in this community and that is what we are trying to relay.”

The women behind the creative videos is a Dispatch Training Supervisor inside the department's communication center who saw the need to appeal to a wider audience through social media platforms.