NOTE TO MEDIA
The media is invited to a brief reception preceding the first class on Tuesday, February 27, from 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Retired Sgt. Clarence Hines, a Law Enforcement/Homeland Security Instructor at North Technical High School and an instructor in the E.S.O.P. Pre-Academy Recruitment Program, will be available for interviews.
**Media must obtain permission from the instructor before interviewing participants. 

Please contact Rachel Brown at (314) 961-9772 to arrange an interview.

ST. LOUIS, MO – People interested in a career in law enforcement are invited to participate in the free Pre-Academy Recruitment Program sponsored by the Ethical Society of Police (E.S.O.P.). The 10-week course begins on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and continues Tuesday and Thursday evenings through May 3. Classes will be held at the Urban League, 3701 Grandel Square in St. Louis. Class size is limited; to register, call (314) 478-8140 or connect via Twitter at @STLMin_Recruits.

The program, which prepares attendees for the St. Louis Police Academy, is open to individuals of all races and genders, age 19 and older. Classes on Community Service, Cultural Diversity, Public Speaking, Law Enforcement Ethics, Constitutional Law, Report Writing, and Officer Wellness will be taught by current and former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) officers, including former graduates of the E.S.O.P. Pre-Academy Recruitment Program. Attendees also will participate in community service projects.

Funding and support for the program has been provided by State Representative Bruce Franks Jr., the St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Urban League. E.S.O.P. also is partnering with the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) to provide job support to attendees who may not qualify to become police officers.

The E.S.O.P. Pre-Academy Recruitment Program has been praised by the NAACP for its success in preparing diverse candidates for the police academy. In 2015 and 2016, 37 attendees were hired as police recruits in training and civilian law enforcement employees by local law enforcement agencies, including the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, St. Louis County Police Department and the City of St. Louis.

Participation in the E.S.O.P. Police Pre-Academy Recruitment Program does not guarantee employment within the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. To become a police officer in Missouri, candidates must be at least 21 years old, a U.S. citizen with a high school diploma or GED and no criminal record, must graduate from an authorized police training academy and pass the Missouri Peace Officer License Exam.

ABOUT E.S.O.P.

The Ethical Society of Police (E.S.O.P.) is an association of police officers that advocates for racial and gender equity in the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) and the community. Founded in 1968 to address racial biases within the SLMPD, E.S.O.P. also works to improve community/police relations, develop policies and programs to reduce crime, elevate the status of minority civilians and police officers, encourage greater minority employment by law enforcement agencies, and increase professionalism in law enforcement. Membership is open to all races and includes nearly 250 law enforcement professionals employed by the City of St. Louis. For details, visit www.esopinc.org, www.facebook.com/EthicalSocietyofPolice, twitter.com/esopgenesis or call (314) 690-3565.

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Media Contact
Rachel Brown
[email protected]
(314) 961-9772