Sterling Heights works with Chaldean Community Foundation to recruit police officers

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By SEAN DELANEY
In an effort to promote a more diverse workforce, the Sterling Heights Police Department will host a recruitment event from 6-8 p.m. June 9 at the Chaldean Community Foundation, which is located at 3601 15 Mile Road. (Sean Delaney – The Source)

In an effort to promote a more diverse workforce, the Sterling Heights Police Department is partnering with the Chaldean Community Foundation to host a recruitment event from 6-8 p.m. June 9.

“This effort is just the beginning of our outreach to the Chaldean and other ethnic groups to recruit men and women that may be interested in serving the city of Sterling Heights,” Police Chief John Berg said. “It remains a priority for this department to be an inclusive organization that reflects the community we serve on a daily basis.”

According to Berg, the event will take place at the Chaldean Community Foundation, which is located at 3601 15 Mile Road.

“Last year, the Middle Eastern Law Enforcement Officers Association (MELEOA) began the process of trying to get more Middle Eastern people involved in law enforcement, or at the very least, more educated on American law enforcement,” Berg said. “So, as a result of this organization, the Chaldean Community Foundation decided to host this event.”

According to the Chaldean Community Foundation’s website (chaldeanfoundation.org), metropolitan Detroit is home to the largest Chaldean population outside the Middle East with an estimated 150,000 Chaldeans living and working throughout the region.

“I believe there are close to, or in excess of, 30,000 Chaldeans living in and around the city of Sterling Heights, which makes them easily our largest ethnic population,” Berg said.

According to the foundation’s website, the CCF was founded to advance the needs of the Chaldean American community and the communities in which they live and work through education, charitable giving and advocacy.

In 2015 alone, the organization served more than 18,000 individuals; filed 4,034 immigration applications; conducted 1,343 job placement services; and enrolled 180 students in English-as-a-second-language classes.

“The Chaldean Community Foundation also reached out to us for our participation in this event,” Berg said.

Sterling Heights police Officers Lamar Kashat and Jassin Hakim, who are both Chaldean, will be available at the event to speak with any members of the community interested in learning more about law enforcement and the process of becoming a police officer.

“We are in the process of a large hiring due to numerous retirements,” Berg said. “Unfortunately, we, like all of our surrounding neighbors in metro Detroit, are experiencing a (relatively) low response in terms of applications given the large number of jobs that are available. I believe this has to do with the current perception on a national basis of law enforcement in general. It (being a police officer) currently is not as popular of a career choice as it was say a decade ago.”

For more information about the SHPD recruitment event or other diversity outreach efforts, contact the city’s Community Relations Department at 586-446-2470.

http://www.sourcenewspapers.com/articles/2016/06/07/news/doc5756ebd7bec8b136440965.txt?viewmode=fullstory