Catchy Slogan ; APD Recruiting Ads to Spotlight Legacy of Runaway Bride

Mar 29, 11:50 AM

Current Headlines: By Copyright 2007 Albuquerque Journal BY T.J. WILHAM Journal Staff Writer

Albuquerque isn't done with the runaway bride just yet.

A city police recruiting ad will be unveiled on 10 digital billboards across the city Monday featuring the legacy that Jennifer Wilbanks left behind.

The ad is a picture of APD spokeswoman Trish Hoffman pulling on the veil of a woman dressed in a wedding gown and running shoes. Above are the words: "Running away from your current job? Call APD Recruiting at 343-5020."

Hoffman, one of the most recognizable police faces in the state, received national attention two years ago this month after Wilbanks, who was reported missing in Georgia a few days before her wedding, landed in Albuquerque claiming she had been abducted.

Photos and video of Hoffman leading Wilbanks through Albuquerque International Sunport with a colorful blanket over Wilbanks' head appeared on CNN, "Good Morning America" and "Saturday Night Live."

And now that she will be on city billboards?

"I am sure I am going to get some harassment," Hoffman said.

The advertisement will appear on Clear Channel's digital billboards for eight seconds every minute. They will be up for a month at a cost of $16,000.

If response is good, APD will incorporate the ad into fliers, posters and possibly television ads.

"The runaway bride is one of those stories that people across the national still talk about," said APD Chief Ray Schultz. "We hope we can capitalize off of that."

Schultz said the billboards are just one of many "non- traditional" recruiting tactics his department has used. Schultz himself dressed in a sumo wrestler outfit during halftime of a University of New Mexico basketball game.

APD has been recruiting aggressively in an attempt to get the force to 1,100 officers by this summer. The department has less than 1,000 officers.

The city has offered $3,000 in signing bonuses, placed posters throughout the city, attended numerous career days and plastered fliers on police cars in area cities. "We have to be aggressive because we have to compete for candidates on a national level," Schultz said.

(c) 2007 Albuquerque Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.