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Corpus Christi Mayor calls for more to join area law enforcement

Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle is excited that City leaders are recognizing the need to prioritize and grow public safety.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo is calling for more people to join local law enforcement. 

As the city continues to grow, so does the call to protect and serve.

Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle is excited that City leaders are recognizing the need to prioritize and grow public safety.

"We want the right people. Our mantra is, my mantra has always been that I'd rather carry a vacancy than a bad hire. So that's not going to change, we're gonna keep our standards very high," Markle said. 

The department wants to hire the best applicants, with Markle adding that he is excited about the push from Guajardo that will hopefully inspire people to answer that call.

"We're staying stagnant right? We have so many that are retiring, and so we have to keep replacing those and then adding because our city is growing," Guajardo said.

There are currently 466 officers already on the force, but Guajardo wants more. She hopes to recruit 25 new officers along with additional funding.

City Council member John Martinez said that safety is paramount in tending to the needs of residents.

"An important thing for any community is safety," Martinez said. "The residents need to feel safe, the residents need to be safe. It’s really a quality of life issue. And we want our residents here to have a good quality of life."

If residents are interested in joining the department, click here.

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