CHEMUNG COUNTY, N.Y. (WETM)- Chemung County law enforcement is noting a decline in interest when recruiting on the road patrol side and corrections division and it has been a problem for the past few years according to Chemung County Sheriff, Bill Schrom.

“We are currently down three full timers and 14 part timers. We don’t even have enough people on the list to fill those vacancies and that’s if everybody on the list were deemed eligible and qualified to be hired,” said Sheriff Schrom.

According to Sheriff Schrom, during the last Police Officer/Deputy Sheriff Exam 101 people applied to take the exam, Civil Service determined 95 people were actually eligible to take it, and only 79 people took the exam. There also is a separate physical fitness exam that needs to be passed which tends to eliminate a majority of the candidates.

“When you have five different agencies within Chemung County competing for a small number of people.. it makes it a little bit more difficult. Plus, that’s really the beginning of the process for that candidate themselves because they have to get through a very difficult background process through the agencies, which oftentimes eliminates a lot more,” Schrom said.