Novi public safety recently launched a marketing blitz to hire police officers and part-time firefighters in a competitive arena nationwide.

The department is adding incentives, like paying for training and sweetening the benefit packages. Police candidates become full-time employees as they attend a 16-week, five-day-a-week police academy program that is paid for by the department.


What it takes

After the academy is completed the officer goes through a 16-week field training program, working in various aspects of the department with different personnel who provide evaluations.

The starting pay for officers is $60,739 annually. When all the requirements are completed, the officer is placed on a one-year probation program.

The department is trying to fill five officer openings and the number is expected to grow with upcoming retirements. The Novi recruitment effort is similar to those at police agencies of all sizes across the country that are also facing shortages of applicants. Police departments in Michigan are struggling to fill positions, with the number of law enforcement officers statewide shrinking more than 4,500 since 2001.

“It's the right job for you if you are a good communicator and have a passion to serve your community and to help people,” said Public Safety Director Erick Zinser.

You must also be a U.S. citizen, pass pre-employment state testing, have a four-year bachelor’s degree and be at least 21 years old.


Other service openings

Additionally, the Fire Department is also looking to hire part-time firefighters. The salary for this position depends on the candidate’s qualifications and hiring bonuses.

Part-time firefighter applicants must be at least 18 years old, be a resident in a community within 40 miles of Novi and have an ability to work flex hours, mostly during nights and weekends. Part-time firefighters must be available for on-call emergencies.

It’s a perfect opportunity for someone who has another job and is looking for extra wages. The department pays for fire academy attendance and emergency medical technician training.

“We’re looking to hire as many as we can,” Zinser said, adding that the department also has 30 full-time firefighters.

“We’re always filling these positions,” Zinser added. “It never stops. This is a fantastic way to give back to the community and raise extra money. It’s a fun, exciting job. You’re doing something different all the time. It’s a career, a passion and a unique opportunity with an excellent benefit package.”


A media blitz

The department is going all out, advertising the jobs on expressway billboards, cell phone automatic push postings and recruiting websites. They’re also hitting colleges, academies and creating a QR code to make the application process easier.

They have to be creative in a competitive market, considering the need for firefighters across the nation during a steady decline in members since the 1980s. Since the pandemic there has been a massive drop in people who want to join both volunteer and career fire departments and more firefighters are retiring, according to Fortune magazine earlier this year.

Go to cityofnovi.org/jobs for job listings.

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