Cheltenham Township Police leverage road signs and technology to attract new recruits
CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, Pa. (CBS) – Cheltenham Township Police are using electronic road signs and QR codes to recruit applicants for an upcoming test to join the police academy.
Drivers may have noticed an electronic road sign outside the Cheltenham Township Police Department near Salus University or in front of Arcadia University in Montgomery County.
"Thirty [thousand] or 40,000 cars a day drive down Old York Road and Easton Road, so, we figured, perfect spot to put them," said Cheltenham Police Lieutenant Andrew Snyder.
He said he hoped drivers and pedestrians would see the signs and sign up to take the test, scheduled for March 30, to join the police academy.
"We would like to get between 180 and 200 applicants," Snyder said.
The signs have been up since mid-February, and Snyder said the department is close to reaching this goal. It's no accident the signs are near college campuses, he said.
"About 65% of our police department have college degrees, with a little over [having] 10% master's degrees or higher," Snyder, who has a pre-med undergraduate degree, said.
Applicants do not need a college degree to apply to the department. However, Cheltenham patrol officer Kyle Turner said he uses what he learned while earning his criminology degree to help connect with the community he serves.
"It has been a great decision. It's helped me and my family financially, job security," he said.
In addition to the large road signs, department officials hope smaller stickers with QR codes on marked vehicles will pull in even more candidates.
"So, we are just using as many different tools in our toolbox, so to say, to get the word out. Social media has been a huge help," Snyder said.
At nearby Michael's Restaurant, covered by Cheltenham Township Police, customer Paul Langford said he thinks the signs are perfectly placed.
"There are people that are coming and going on their daily routines, the signs will be good for them," Langford said.
Customer Robert Young said the signs signal opportunity for nearby students.
"I think they should look into that. And hopefully, the response from the younger people will be, 'That's something that I can do,'" Young said.
It looks like the department can reach its hiring target in time for the next academy class set to start in July 2024.
