Alpharetta police return to New Jersey to recruit new officers

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Alpharetta police are going on the road again this summer to recruit new officers.

For the second year in a row, the department is taking its entire recruiting and hiring process to Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey.

“Last year’s event was extremely successful, and we did so well that we thought it was in our best interest to do the event again this year,” Capt. Jakai Braithwaite said.

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Braithwaite is a native of New Jersey who’s been on the Alpharetta police force for 25 years.

The recruiting event last year led to nine new hires in the Alpharetta Police Department.

As with law enforcement agencies across the country, it’s a challenge for Alpharetta police to stay fully staffed.

Braithwaite said the recruiting event in New Jersey should help fill the ranks.

“I’ll talk about our leadership all day, I’ll talk about our great department, our equipment, the money we can now give you, but I’m also selling this great city,” he said.

Enticing new recruits might be easier this year; Alpharetta just boosted its starting salary for entry-level officers to $57,581.

That’s several thousand dollars higher than a year ago.

Braithwaite said his native state is fertile ground for seeking new talent.

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“It’s so difficult to get a job in Jersey,” he said. “The process is long.”

James Hunt and his brother were among the hires from last year’s recruiting event, which Alpharetta advertised on social media.

Responding to a flyer on Facebook, they showed up at Hasbrouck Heights High School for the physical agility test.

A year later, Hunt has completed the police academy and is set to begin field training.

He said it wasn’t just the good pay and better cost of living that lured him to Alpharetta.

“They were honest, they were straightforward,” he said of Alpharetta police. “They meant everything they said. They had integrity, and that was very attractive to us.”

Braithwaite and his recruiting staff will spend five days in New Jersey beginning July 10.

“I know there’s great qualified candidates there, and I also want to show some of those candidates this wonderful world we have in Alpharetta,” Braithwaite said.

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