From attracting qualified candidates and telling an authentic agency story to streamlining hiring processes and building long-term career pathways, departments are rethinking how they recruit and retain the next generation of officers. Police Recruitment Week explores how agencies are modernizing recruitment, with practical insights for leaders navigating staffing shortages, community expectations and the realities of building a sustainable workforce.
What the data and the field reveal about where agencies lose candidates and how to keep them
FEATURED CONTENT
A practical, agency-wide framework that turns every sworn and civilian employee into an active recruiting force
Agencies relying on bonuses and short-term tactics may see temporary gains but lasting staffing stability comes from strategies that improve retention, reputation and community trust
A customized childcare model built for law enforcement families aims to improve retention, boost morale and deliver measurable return on investment
Integrating civilians, structured internet sleuth programs, artificial intelligence and regional partnerships may be the key to sustaining clearance rates in the 21st century
Facing staffing shortages and rising complexity, departments like Atlanta are expanding civilian leadership and professional staff roles to stabilize operations, modernize capabilities and relieve pressure on sworn officers
From paperwork to people skills, seasoned cops offer hard-earned advice for the next generation
If you’re losing applicants, stretching hiring timelines or watching academy classes shrink, this guide outlines what agencies are doing to rebuild their staffing pipeline
COMPLETE COVERAGE
With proper oversight, training and legal structures, this partnership has the potential to enhance public safety without eroding trust or accountability
Neuroscience, life experience and officer performance suggest it’s time to rethink the minimum hiring age
To handle the extra work, the Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office plans to put its off-duty employees to work in Arcadia on overtime, which would be paid by the city
The department grew from 560 to 588 officers in spring 2025, the first increase since its ranks dropped by nearly 40% after George Floyd’s death
After 14 months of negotiations, the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Guild says the county has proposed a 10% raise over three years, an offer the union says is “not competitive at all”
Years after appearing in an LVMPD video and overcoming a paralyzing injury, Recruit Seth Hurst has fulfilled his dream of becoming a police officer
House Bill 2015 will set aside funds from the state’s operating budget to help cities and counties hire new law enforcement officers
NYPD
NYPD recruit Robert Castioni estimates nine of his relatives served in LE; the sacrifices of his cousin and father, who both died in the line of duty, inspired him to serve
Agencies have until June 24 to start applications for projects and officer wellness programs worth up to $200K
The hiring measures include programs to rehire retired officers for certain roles, reassessing overtime and special duty assignments, and putting more officers on patrol
ABOUT THE SPONSOR: eSOPH by Miller Mendel
With a primary focus of turning past practices used by city, county, state and federal government agencies into modern, efficient, and cost-effective digital solutions, Miller Mendel (MMI) has been creating category-leading systems since 2011.
eSOPH by Miller Mendel is a secure, cloud-based, pre-employment background investigation software system designed specifically for public safety agencies. Used by hundreds of agencies nationwide, eSOPH has been credited with cutting the time it takes to process a pre-employment background investigation by up to 50%, saving agencies significant time, money, and resources without sacrificing investigation quality.
eSOPH by Miller Mendel is a secure, cloud-based, pre-employment background investigation software system designed specifically for public safety agencies. Used by hundreds of agencies nationwide, eSOPH has been credited with cutting the time it takes to process a pre-employment background investigation by up to 50%, saving agencies significant time, money, and resources without sacrificing investigation quality.
How to use recruitment messaging and leverage new technology to attract, hire, onboard and retain top talent