Law enforcement uses social media to find new officers

THE ECONOMY IS IN BAD SHAPERIGHT NOW... AND NOT MANYBUSINESSES ARE HIRING.BUT MANY LAW ENFORCEMENTAGENCIES ARE -- AND THEY'REHURTING FORJOB CANDIDATES.FOX 47'S CODY BUTLER EXPLAINSHOW THEY'RE GETTING MORECREATIVE... FINDINGRECRUITS.IT'S BECOMING INCREASINGLYHARDER FOR LAW ENFORCEMENTAGENCIES TO FILL OPENPOSITIONS.

THAT'S WHY THEY ARENOW TURNING TO SOCIAL MEDIA TOHELP FIND NEW OFFICERS.FOR THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS,IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE THROUGHOUTTHE ENTIRE LAWENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY.MAJOR DARIN SOUTHWORTH OVERSEESTHE INGHAM COUNTY JAIL.HE SAYS IT WAS HARD ENOUGH TOGET APPLICANTS ... THEN 20-20HIT MAKING IT EVEN HARDER.AND THEN COVID STRIKES AND NOWWE HAVE SOME RACIAL AND SOCIALUNREST TAKING PLACE.BECAUSE OF COVID ... MANYTRADITIONAL JOB FAIRS AREN'THAPPENING THIS YEAR ... FORCINGMAJORSOUTHWORTH TO THINK OUTSIDE THEBOX.THAT'S WHERE SOCIAL MEDIA COMESINTO PLAY.WE HAVE TO TAP THOSE THAT MAYBEHAVEN'T CONSIDERED A CAREER INLAW ENFORCEMENT.

TAKETHE INFORMATION TO THEM, WHERETHEY EXIST, WHERE THEY ARESPENDING THEIR TIME.

THE EATONCOUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS BEENPOSTING JOB OPENINGS ON FACEBOOKFOR A FEWYEARS NOW.CAPTAIN MARK WRIGGELSWORTH SAYSIT ALLOWS THEM TO OFFER MORETHAN JUST A JOB DESCRIPTION.I THINK PUTTING OUT SOMEPICTURES AND SHOWING PEOPLE WHATWE HAVE TO OFFER THEM IS A GOODWAYTO GET PEOPLE TO APPLY.IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO APPLY, JUSTCONTACT YOUR LOCAL LAWENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

IN MASON,CODY BUTLER, FOX 47 NEWS.THE STARTING PAY FOR CORRECTIONSOFFICERS IN INGHAM COUNTY ISNEARLY 39-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR.IN EATON COUNT