Sartell Police Dept. Receives Grant For Training New Officers

ST. PAUL (WJON News) -- The Sartell Police Department is one of 35 law enforcement agencies receiving grant money for training new officers. Governor Tim Walz announced funding for the new Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training (ICPOET) Grant Program earlier this week.

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Agencies receiving funds will sponsor 50 people with two or four-year degrees who are looking to change careers into law enforcement. Sartell Police Chief Brandon Silgjord says the grant will help people cover living expenses as well as the cost of the training:

"Any career change right in life is difficult so this is really funding that career change for people to make sure they can pay their bills while they're making that switch and continue to maintain benefits cause as we know there might be family members that need their or are the insurance carrier for the entire family and that'll allow them to continue that until their done with their training."

All the candidates will attend an intensive training program at Alexandria Technical and Community College or Hennepin Technical College from October through February 2025. Silgjord says people looking for a career change is an underlooked at pool for new officer candidates:

"The definite undertones of this is the non-traditional career change type path people I think is really we're trying to tap into a market that we haven't typically been able to tap into for law enforcement officers in Minnesota."

Agencies are taking applications and some have already filled their sponsorships, and anyone interested should contact the respective agency for more information.

Sartell Police Dept. Receives Grant For Training New Officers

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