Walking The Walk: Recruiter Enters New Arena

Image of Officer Brandon Walker

“They said I was overconfident in my interview and disqualified me.”

If not for his confidence, one that the Kansas City Missouri Police Department embraces, Officer Brandon Walker would likely be policing for a different law enforcement agency in Kansas. Ten years after he was surprisingly told no, Walker is focused on getting others to say yes to the KCPD. The longtime youth advocate is now recruiting the next generation of officers.

“We have to remember that people are out in the field answering calls every day,” Walker said. “When I see a field officer, I tell them, we’re getting some people out here for you. But we want to do our due diligence making sure we get the right people here.”

One area Walker is scouting is the playing field, whether it’s on the hardwood, the pitch, or even the gridiron. A former college football player at Southern Illinois University, Walker sees the similarities – such as commitment to hard work and missions bigger than self – between athletes and officers.

“I’m talking to contacts and asking ‘Where are the athletes not going to the league?’” Walker explained. “Who would still like the team atmosphere, a good career with a nice salary, and still help save lives?”

Before recently becoming a department recruiter, Walker spent years focused on helping at-risk teenagers. He, himself, said he had tough choices growing up in Kansas City, Kan., between doing the right thing or being in the streets and “doing the worst.” As an officer in KCPD’s Police Athletic League (PAL), Walker created youth groups so that teens could have real conversations, sharing their challenges while encouraging each other. Walker also hosted free camps for area kids while serving as a member of the Community Engagement Division.

Today, Walker is still involved in projects designed to help Kansas City’s at-risk youth, though his gift of connecting with others is now utilized in recruiting. The region’s largest police department has the most opportunities for officers, he stated.

“You can ride a motorcycle in Traffic,” Walker said. “If you want to do the helicopter, you can apply for that. All the different types of detectives we have. In my journey, I’ve pretty much created my own programs, and I’ve had the autonomy to do that. You can work with kids or the community. You can work in TAC (Tactical Response). There are so many levels to our department that you don’t get with other departments.”

KCPD has officer positions open. Apply here.