GLEN ALLEN, Va. – The Better Business Bureau serving Central Virginia hosted a community conversation with Virginia State Police on Wednesday at their headquarters in Glen Allen.
Better Business Bureau President and CEO Barry Moore said the agency had been working on the event for several months to connect troopers with accredited businesses as well as offering young people an opportunity to learn about a career in law enforcement.
“The important part is that moms and dads tell their kids, the grandparents tell their kids how important law enforcement is, whether you’re Virginia State troopers, sheriff’s or a local police officer, firefighter, EMS, military, how important the people that serve us are,” Moore said.
First Sgt. James White with Virginia State Police said the agency partnered with the Better Business Bureau to better connect with the community.
“We’re here today just to have a conversation to talk about what the state police is all about…,” White said. “Our goal as an agency is to recruit qualified men and women who have a passion to serve.”
White said the agency is looking to hire roughly 300 troopers.
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Sgt. Michael R. Pantle acknowledged the decision to join law enforcement is a big one.
“It takes something from inside you. The phrase of service over self, it’s got to come from inside you. This is something that you really want to do,” Pantle said. “The person inside you is what’s important and how you were out there making a difference in the community.”
Moore hopes other organizations invite troopers in to tell their stories and help in the recruitment effort.
“They could do push ups right here in the office and they can sign people up like that,” Moore said. “But that’s not really what’s important to me right now. The important part is that moms and dads tell their kids, the grandparents tell their kids how important law enforcement is.”
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