HINESVILLE, Ga. (WSAV) — Law enforcement agencies across the country are having a hard time getting younger generations to apply. Hinesville Police say they’re trying to get ahead of the curve by getting a little creative.

Hinesville Police’s newest job opening doesn’t have a gun or a police badge nor can they actually arrest you – In fact, the job title doesn’t include “officer” or “police” at all.

“No matter how much money you throw into it we are just not getting the applicants looking to become sworn law enforcement officers.”

Police Chief Lloyd Slater tells News 3 that their public safety support specialists – dubbed PS3s for short – will take non-emergency calls like a parking lot fender bender which would ease the workload on sworn officers. 

“We have a dwindling workforce along those lines we don’t want to take an officer off the road and put them into a private property situation where it takes anywhere from about a half an hour to 45 minutes doing a private property report,” said Slater. 

Slater says he hopes this job, built more as a civil servant position, can bring in applications from younger generations who have negative views of the police and will improve relationships between police and the public.

Slater explained, “They’ll establish their own reputation in their own way so whatever negative impressions people have of the police, this is our opportunity to go ahead and change that.”

PS3 training takes half the time that a normal officer’s would and they’re accepting younger people.

Chief Slater tells me the biggest thing they’re looking for is a good attitude and a desire to help. 

Applications close at the end of this month when their 8-week training will begin. We could see them out in the field by November.