The Tri-Point YMCA was filled with members of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday and many who’d like to join them.
“Ever since I was little, I always told myself, ‘I’m going to be a cop and a marine’ and already did one of those,” Gage Mills, a new applicant, said.
Mills took the first step toward fulfilling a childhood dream.
“You have a mixture of everything from SWAT to working in the jail,” he said.
The career fair put on display all different departments, including its Special Emergency Response Team, SWAT, cadets, and dispatch.
BCSO hopefuls can get a leg up on their new careers with written and physical tests given.
Sheriff Javier Salazar said there was a good turnout, but he’s not surprised given the massive pay increase passed by county commissioners on August 1st.
“Young people are just not flocking to the law enforcement agencies’ doors, knocking them down, trying to start their career. So we’ve got to be imaginative, but that’s what we’re doing here,” Salazar said.
Now incoming officers can earn a starting salary of $61,500, rather than the previous $58,704.
If you start out in the jail, your starting salary would be $45,000 instead of just shy of $42,000.
The change is needed given the roughly 250 open positions currently at the county jail.
“Every major law enforcement agency in the state is dealing with the same thing. But we’re taking a more proactive approach,” Salazar said.
Part of that positive approach is launching the Straight to the Streets program.
“These folks can come here, get their foot in the door and start working in the jail. And then almost immediately, as soon as we give a test for Straight to the Streets, they can take that test and crossover,” the sheriff said.
For Mills, the possibility is one that makes this career move even more exciting.
“I know it’s kind of limited spots for it, but I’m absolutely going to try to actually go straight to the streets,” Mills said.
Part of what makes the Straight to the Streets program so enticing, people without a law enforcement background can enroll in it, go through the academy, and be working as a Bexar County deputy in about nine months without having to work at the jail.
BCSO will be having another career fair next month.