(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE, Wash. -Spokane Police have a simple message: they need help patrolling the street and keeping you safe.
Property crime keeps growing and the police department doesn't have enough officers to fight it.
According to the Spokane Police Department's June crime report, property crime is up 52 percent for residential burglary, 64 percent for garage thefts and 17 percent for stolen cars.
According to an outside consultant, they need more cops on the street. The report says to make a noticeable change, Spokane has to hire 44 more patrol officers.
On Monday night, Spokane Police Officers were out trying to recruit qualified candidates.
"We're putting on these hiring workshops to really get the community involved. We want to get people from Spokane to apply with SPD, and we want to give them every opportunity to succeed with the testing, the hiring, and as police officers once they get hired," said Sergeant Kurt Reese with the Spokane Police Department.
If you missed the event, it's not too late.
Police are holding two more before the August 26th tests.
The next meeting is this Thursday, August 10th at the Spokane Valley Library. The final workshop is on Tuesday the 15th, at the Hillyard Library. Both go from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
After that, they're holding more tests in mid-October and they'll have multiple workshops before then.