Police cadets Jose Perez (at left) and Sam Larson will join the Moorhead Police Department as full-time officers in coming months. (Photo/Joe Brannan.)
Joseph Brannan, MPD
Administrative Sergeant
Nancy Edmonds Hanson
The Moorhead Police Department is close to filling the openings that have plagued it in recent years, thanks in part to a “grow your own” program offering a head start to aspiring officers.
The city’s Police Cadet Program offers paid internships to men and woman who are current college students (or recent graduates) with majors in criminal justice, law enforcement or closely related fields. During their final year of studies, they can apply for cadet positions of six to 12 months, getting on-the-job experience that offers them a head start in the on-the-job training all new officers must undergo.
“The cadet program is a huge head-start,” Sgt. Joseph Brannon explains. “It’s one of the best pre-requirements for getting into law enforcement.”Along with the statewide ICPOET ( Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training) program, the Police Cadets have attracted a good number of law enforcement officer candidates, often with personal ties to the area.
Many of the dozen new officers sworn in before the City Council in recent weeks have the cadet program on their resumes – among them, Officers Binyad Brifki, Razwad Mohammed, Michael Tol, Hayden Spilles and Emaline Bozovsky. Several more are in the pipeline, including current cadets Jose Perez and Sam Larson. Sam is targeted to move into employment on Dec. 1, and Jose in Summer 2026.
Past years’ cadet rosters have included as many as five participants at a time. Just two positions have been funded this year – thanks, the sergeant says, to the program’s past success in recruiting officers to fill open positions. Once facing as many as 24 openings, today the MPD is within sight of full employment: “On the patrol side,” Brannan says, “we’ve got a name for every badge.”
Cadets have proven to be a partial solution to the perennial problem of recruiting officers. “Departments all over the state are out making contacts at job fairs to try to bring in recruits,” the sergeant observes. Students who sign up generally are already interested in working here and bring ready knowledge of the city’s geography and culture, giving them an advantage when it comes to getting to know the community they’ll be serving.
With the aid of a state Pathway to Policing grant, the internship program has also reversed a persistent local challenge. “When they graduated, potential recruits could choose between paying the tuition to complete the Skills program at Alexandria Tech at their own cost, or take part in Fargo’s Police Academy and get paid,” he explains. “Now we have the funds to pay cadets from Day One, including for the weeks they are required to spend in skills training at Alex Tech. It evens the playing field.”
Moorhead’s cadet program, established under Chief Shannon Monroe, has evolved in recent years. Originally referred to as part-time “parking enforcement officers,” the flexible positions have been broadened and formalized as a pipeline to wearing the badge. Parking enforcement is still part of their role, says Brannan, who has overseen the program since being assigned to recruitment in 2023.
Now, he explains, cadets also support the MPD’s two community service officers. They may be assigned to answer non-emergency calls such as citizen complaints, animal concerns, found property, minor theft, release of impounded vehicles, traffic control during parades and events, and management of the CSOs’ vehicles. Along the way, they learn to write incident reports and citations under the tutelage of sworn officers and other staff. Jose, who’s fluent in Spanish, has also assisted officers as a translator.
They put in from 15 to 25 hours a week, working around their college schedules. “When they graduate, they’re already close to meeting the Minnesota Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements for eligibility to be sworn in as officers.
Brannan says cadets’ duties given them an opportunity to practice soft skills that may be equally important to them someday soon as officers. “They gain experience in working with the people we serve,” he points out. “Customer service is a big part of our job. As cadets, they get a taste of it.”
The success of MPD’s cadets portends a strong future for the program. “It’s definitely here to stay,” he predicts. “As we move forward, the department will definitely need to grow. By collaborating with our local colleges, we have a great opportunity to find and retain our best local talent.”
The Police Cadet program has no current openings, but others may be added early next year. For more information, go to www.cityofmoorhead.com and search for “police cadet internships.”
