Almost two years into a new recruiting program the Minnesota State Patrol is still trying to bolster it's numbers.
The Law Enforcement Training Opportunity Program (LETO) is geared toward applicants without a law enforcement background.
One example of the program's success is 38-year old Trooper Yahya Abdi, who is the state's first Somalian State Trooper. He says making the transition from being a stay-at-home dad wouldn't have been possible without the program.
"You get to go to school for free," says Abdi. "You get to build relationships with people who are, you know, in similar backgrounds, people with families, people who are maybe older, coming from different professions."
The State Patrol is facing staffing challenges with some districts reporting shortages of over 50 officers.
Abdi says he hopes his story will help others give a career with the State Patrol a chance.
The program pays Minnesotans while they train in to join the force and doesn't require any prior experience in law enforcement. All LETO participants earn 80 percent of a trooper’s starting annual salary during their first 22 weeks of training. After that, they receive 100 percent of base pay for the remainder of their training.
"I didn't think I was going to be able to do it. You know, at 37, I'm 38 now and so if you're questioning yourself, if you're wondering, you know, maybe this is not for you, you can't do it? Just just give it a try. Just know that there's so much support," says Abdi who joined the program in 2023.
Abdi adds he hopes to recruit more people from his community to give the program a shot.
"To be the first Somali State Trooper, you know, I want more of us here and so, the job is amazing," he said.
You can find more info about the program on the Minnesota Department of Public Safety website.