SAN BENITO – San Benito police will be receiving free peace officer training for new recruits.

The move comes following an agreement made with the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. It allows San Benito police to have up to five cadets a year to receive the free training.

In return, San Benito must supply resources to the academy, like instructors and shooting ranges.

San Benito Police Chief Michael Galvan said many other agencies also have the same agreement.

“A lot of the agencies in the Valley that deal with the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council are also doing the same thing. It’s all of us, we are all providing instructors, it’s part of a collective effort to ensure that our officers are properly trained the way we see fit,” Galvan said.

Earlier this year, the department said they were dealing with a shortage of officers. Galvan hopes the deal will help change that.