The recession has more people applying for secure law enforcement jobs in Danville than in previous years.
“Public safety is the last line of defense that gets cut,” said Lt. Col. Ronald Ball, spokesman for the Danville Sheriff’s Office. “People are now looking more toward job security than they are great, big salaries.”
Ball said he hasn’t worried about his job in the 38 years he’s spent with the sheriff’s office.
A report by the city’s Human Resources Department, which hires new police officers, found that police department applications have increased by 78 percent since 2007.
The city takes applications for police department jobs throughout the year. So far this year, 368 job candidates have applied for a position with the department, up from 292 in 2008.
Ball said the Danville Sheriff’s Office also has seen far more job applications than previous years. He said the office doesn’t keep records beyond the past six months, so he did not know exact figures.
“It’s not just more applications from Danville, but from other areas all around us who are feeling the pinch,” he said.
Job hunters living in Norfolk, Stuart and South Boston have applied to work at the sheriff’s office. Ball said some of them don’t have any law enforcement experience and don’t mind commuting if they can find work.
The sheriff’s office usually receives applications from graduates with an administration of justice associate degree, like the one offered at Danville Community College. But that hasn’t held true.
“All areas of the job force are applying for deputy’s jobs,” Ball said. “I think its due to the economic downturn because some places have been hit worse than we have. I think this is the reason for the diversity in locality and career.”
Ball said prior law enforcement experience isn’t necessary. The sheriff’s office sends the new hires who need training to Piedmont Regional Justice Training Academy.
Applications for the Danville Fire Department have not increased. The department accepts applications every 12 to 18 months for 30 days, according to the Danville Human Resources Department. Those who aren’t selected are put into a pool for future openings. The last application period was May 2008, when 131 people applied for jobs, according to a human resources report.
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