As police departments nationwide compete for a shrinking pool of qualified officers, the city of Bowie is turning to an expedited hiring process to stay ahead.

On Friday, crews prepped salt spreader trucks, front loaders, and snowplows to ensure everything is ready.

Like pretty much every other police department in the country, Bowie in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is hoping to hire more police officers to its force. But recruitment can be tricky. Right now, ...