College Cadets

Mission Statement
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) Cadet Program will provide qualified students, actively enrolled in a local college, an opportunity to work in a professional, law enforcement environment, while learning about and training for future employment as a Police Officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.


Vision
The program's intent is to enhance the participating student's knowledge of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and all operating aspects so that when the participant turns 21, he or she may enter into a career as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer.
As Cadets work in different areas of the department, they will develop the necessary skills to make them the type of Officer CMPD needs to be successful in its mission to prevent the next crime.

The program is funded by a Federal Grant and is designed to expose interested college students to police work. This is accomplished by training and equipping the cadets in Community Problem Oriented Policing and exposing them to opportunities within CMPD. The program places cadets within the department where there is currently a need for their services. The cadets perform duties that do not require a sworn police officer, freeing officers to spend more time in the field. While the duties of the cadets vary based upon the units where they are assigned, they typically include:

• Work with community coordinators on neighborhood problem-solving efforts by Interacting with neighborhood residents to identify community problems.
• Researching data needed for problem analysis, including property ownership, crime statistics, calls for service, and GIS maps.
• Monitoring calls for service, crime data, and other indicators in areas where problem-solving initiatives have been completed as directed by the Division Supervisor.
• Learning about and partnering with other city agencies in order to improve problem-solving efforts.
• Assist in planning and conducting community meetings, preparing presentations, and distributing information to neighborhood residents in an effort to increase attendance at community meetings.
• Assist in starting Neighborhood Watch groups and providing crime data to those groups once they are established.
• Prepare updated information on crime and problem-solving activities.
• Learn about crime prevention and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), and be able to deliver this valuable information to communities.
• Conducting follow-up contacts with crime victims.
• Providing information and assistance at special events.
• Performing routine office duties such as answering phones, filing, scheduling, data entry, etc.
• Participating in activities that provide exposure to varied aspects of police work.
• Attend court with an officer and participate in Ride-alongs.
• Assist the Department with community or special events as directed by the program supervisor.

A position as Cadet does not guarantee a future position as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Officer.