ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is looking outside of Florida to hire new deputies.
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Corporal Pedro Rivera said he made the move to Orange County for a better quality of life for my family and himself.
After his time with the marine corps, Corporal Rivera became an agent with the Puerto Rico State Police and then it was on to a job at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
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The Orange County Sheriff’s Office will soon be flying down to Puerto Rico to recruit deputies at time when agencies across the country are short officers.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina said right now the Sheriff’s Office is down 10% in staff.
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While over the past four or five years, the Sheriff’s office said they have added 400 positions.
Mina said, officers do still continue to retire, and it has been a little bit of a challenge for the department.
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When a team of recruiters and deputies head to the island they will be hosting three different hiring events in San Juan and Mayaguez.
Sheriff Mina said he is very familiar with Puerto Rico.
When he was the Orlando’s Chief of Police, he sent officers to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
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The Sheriff is also hopeful his team meets future people like Corporal Rivera who are eager to start a new chapter with the department.
“We’re looking for recruits who are bilingual.”
Mina said there have been a large increase of Orange County residents, who moved to the area from Puerto Rico in recent years.
He said he just wants to make the Sheriff’s office the best agency it can be.
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For Corporal Rivera working at the Orange County Sheriff’s office has been a very positive experience in his life.
“The Sheriff’s Office has been like my family. I’ve have great support here,” Rivera said.
The Sheriff’s Office is offering out-of-state deputies up to $7,500 in bonuses in addition to $54,000 salary for starting deputies.
CLICK HERE to read the original article by WFTV.
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