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Stockton Police Department expands paid Police Aid program; participants describe career pathways
Summary
Council heard a presentation and firsthand testimony from police aids about a paid program that places young people across police department units; participants credited hands‑on rotations for helping them decide careers and cited recruitment and retention benefits.
City staff and Stockton Police Department representatives briefed council on the Police Aid program during the June 9 meeting. The paid initiative, aimed at 16–25 year‑olds, rotates participants through department units — recruiting, chief's office, special investigations, evidence and community substations — to expose youth to a range of public‑safety careers and support pathways into full‑time positions.
Police aides who testified described multiple rotations and on‑the‑job experience. One aide said the program fits around school schedules and helped her gain experience before entering the police academy; another described ride‑alongs and exposure to investigations and dispatch operations. The department reported 14 current police aids and more than 100 applicants for new openings, citing the program's success in creating local pipelines to civil‑service and non‑patrol roles.
Council thanked the department for creating paid, entry‑level pathways and encouraged continued coordination with workforce and education partners.
What happens next: The department will continue recruiting for police aid roles and report program outcomes and conversion rates to the city manager and council.
