Lassen College AOJ
Too many badges. Not enough bodies to bear them.
For rural communities in California’s Far North region, demand for qualified peace officers is exploding, creating high-level opportunities for students in law enforcement pipelines. With a versatile slate of programs focusing on fast, field-ready job skills, Lassen Community College is committed to providing heroes for hire.
“It’s not just policing. We’re seeing a shortage in corrections, and with parole and probation officers, too,” says Terra Avilla, a former police officer and current instructor in Lassen’s Administration of Justice program. “There are more people leaving the force than entering,”
The term “peace officer” encompasses the three domains within the criminal justice system: law enforcement, the courts and corrections. Beginning in 2020, this sector faced a massive exodus, owing to the stress dealt by the twin blows of the COVID-19 pandemic and negative press following some well-publicized incidents of police overreach.
The aftermath has left a critical hiring gap for departments in California and beyond. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook, job opportunities for police officers, probation officers and correctional personnel are expected to grow about three percent in the next decade.
Understaffing in these justice-related fields can be described as historic, with retirements and resignations persisting at unprecedented levels. The pandemic was particularly stressful for police officers, who saw their ranks decrease, making things even more stressful for those who remained. And while the problem is nationwide, it’s even more acute in rural areas, according to Avilla.
“Police and sheriff agencies all over Northern California complain about not being able to fill positions,” says the instructor.
Read More
