The latest recruitment video on the Madera County Sheriff's department website features heavy metal intertwined with pictures of deputies patrolling, training and serving the community. The mastermind behind this trendy video is South Madera high senior Brennan Ebaugh.
"They said we needed someone to do the video and I wasn't doing anything at the time and I figured I could do it so it was an offer for me and I thought I'd take it up," said Ebaugh.
"We think it's a first class product," said the Sheriff.
That's why Sheriff John Anderson praised the aspiring film director in front of his fellow students Wednesday morning. Anderson said he hopes the video will encourage new law enforcement officers to consider working in Madera before taking jobs in the bigger cities.
Sheriff Anderson said, "We're in direct competition with fresno police and the fresno sheriff's department that pay more than we do."
Anderson's trying to fill 9 spots that he said have been open for some time.
The California Highway Patrol is also relying on internet advertising to recruit.
"We're short handed on the road it seems like all the time," said Officer Solorzano.
Officer Paul Solorzano said the CHP loses about 25 officers every month due to retirement or disability. He said a CHP candidate must pass a rigorous boot camp and background check to qualify. "We want to hire 240 officers every three months to fill the ranks."
And it's been about 8 years since the Department of Homeland Security has made an aggressive attempt to recruit border patrol agents. To date one-thousand applications have been sent in.
"We're about 2/3rd of our way into hiring 6 thousand agents," said senior agent Cortez.
Senior patrol agent Robert Cortez said an agent's job is more than checking cars: It's patrolling entry ways into the U.S., International investigations and stopping potential terrorists.
Cortez finished with, "You're America's first line of defense on the ground."
Madera County Sheriff's Office
www.madera-county.com/sheriff
(559) 675-7770
California Highway Patrol
www.chp.ca.gov
888-4A-CHPJOB
Border Patrol
www.Borderpatrol.gov
