The youngest of 12 siblings, police officer Daniel Fulks was inspired by his older brother to join law enforcement.
Fulks began to look into the field after his brother joined the Overland Park Police Department.
He applied to join Eudora’s department in early 2021 and was fully hired in October.
He said the decision to become a police officer was one he took seriously.
“It’s definitely a career that needs to be weighed, and you don’t just want to jump into it irrationally,” Fulks said. “At the same time, so far in my very little experience, it’s been an eye-opener and rewarding because of the ways you can help and assist people.”
Fulks is one of the new officers hired in the last year, along with John Mathews. Police Chief Wes Lovett said the department is actively recruiting, but results mirror that of other police departments across the country.
After the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide criticism of policing, it’s difficult to hire and retain officers. Lovett said some of that criticism is deserved, yet it’s made the profession less desirable.
“We have 13 officers and we’re authorized to hire 14, but we’re still looking for that 14th officer,” Lovett said. “We’re in the same boat as other agencies in this area and in the country. It’s become much harder in the last couple years to recruit and find individuals that want to be in law enforcement.”
For Mathews, joining the police force was a welcome change and a big transition from his prior work.
Mathews didn’t always know he wanted to be a police officer, but after taking introductory criminal justice classes at Pittsburg State University, he decided to work in juvenile detention. After working in Topeka’s Juvenile Correctional Complex for about two years, he applied for the Eudora department.
Newly-hired police officers are sent to the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, where they take part in various classes for 14 weeks.
“Certainly, there’s been some challenges in terms of transitioning from what I learned in the academy to what it’s actually like in the field,” Mathews said. “Overall, it’s been a learning curve.”
Fulks said many people might have a negative connotation of law enforcement, but he said he uses the job to assist people in his community.
“That’s what we look forward to the most, is being able to educate people,” Fulks said. “Sure, I might give you a citation for your speed, but at the same time, I’m looking out for that other person that’s on the road.”
Mathews and Fulks are both familiar with Eudora, having grown up in the area. Lovett said this aspect is important in the hiring process.
“We like to take the approach of looking for local candidates because they have ties to the area and we’ve found that they’re likely to stay with this agency if they have roots in this community,” Lovett said.
As the police department continues its search for a 14th officer, Lovett said posts will continually be added on Facebook, and there is also a link on the city’s website to apply.
“We hire people who have heard of this as a good, professional agency and they come here,” Lovett said. “We try every way we can to get good, quality candidates.”
Reach reporter Abby Shepherd at [email protected]
