Police Recruitment
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. The Police Recruitment topic page explores how agencies are modernizing recruitment, with practical insights for leaders navigating staffing shortages, community expectations and the realities of building a sustainable workforce.
A research-backed tool to improve fairness, readiness and retention in law enforcement hiring
Learn how public safety agencies can overcome recruitment roadblocks with real-world strategies rooted in leadership, transparency and cultural change
Discover why the departments that treat recruiting like marketing are winning — and how to follow their lead
The Vallejo Police Department is working with the Solano County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol to supplement its ranks
The Golden Police Department launched the four-day week program in order to recruit and retain more officers; it has helped with productivity, response times and morale
The Moose Lake city council will soon vote to decide whether to dissolve the police department in favor of a county law enforcement contract
Law enforcement leaders share strategies for building robust, diverse and highly efficient law enforcement agencies
Small-town police departments turn to grant funds to address the challenges of limited resources, personnel shortages and technology gaps
“We’re pleased to see this increase in applications from [individuals] … willing to go above and beyond to serve and protect, with ... strong moral fiber not exclusive to those with a college education,” said Colonel Christopher Paris
Officers sound off on what they need from their supervisors and leaders to perform at their peak in Police1’s State of the Industry survey
For you to come out on top, you will be a blend of having the chops and showing up as your best-presented self
Some leaders are asking that the time frame recruits must abstain from marijuana use before being hired by a law enforcement agency be lowered from two years to six months
The Ripley Police Department will only be able to sustain three officers if the proposal passes, leaving several hours of the day with no cops on duty
Silos kill progress and diminish the greater good, and our greater good is a healthy, operational police agency
“In addition to being police officers, we are also members of the community. We have lives outside of policing, too.”
The Alameda Police Department is nearing the maximum number of officers it can hire; the PD is only short one officer per squad and is hiring in the “top 5%" of qualified applicants
At just 18 years old, Donnie was controlling a chaotic murder scene while others his age were still struggling to control their acne
SFPD attributes the increase to recent recruiting incentives, such as increased starting pay, a shortened hiring process and free one-day testing events
“Having a legal drug become a barrier to increasing law enforcement seems like it’s a bad policy,” a county official stated
The change allows departments to hire transfer officers while they are still employed by another department, allowing for easier lateral transfers
“Cadets” will document an academy class’s six-month training journey; it will be released on Jan. 17
“Not a single council member has approached me and asked if I was looking for another officer,” Chief Bill Drollinger said. “They haven’t given me the clearance to make a hire — and I don’t believe they will”
“When [the patrol officers] come in, they’re energetic, more engaged, ready to hit the road and get work done,” one supervisor said
The Fair Grove Police Department now has one fully trained officer and two officers still in field training following resignations from two other officers and the police chief
“These grants support the life-saving work of first responders and help public safety agencies to meet the needs of those they serve,” Gov. Maura Healey said
The town of South Vienna could not sustain enough full-time officers to continue having a police department
Several northeast Ohio departments will continue to screen for marijuana, as the law permits employers to bar applicants who use it
One oversight board member fears that changing department structure may cause officers to “jump ship,” leaving the force with even fewer officers
“I think it shows people how desperate all these police departments are,” a police union leader said. “I’d like to see the city be a little bit more desperate, too”
Of those surveyed, 74% worry they will become crime victims, 90% are dissatisfied with the state of public safety and 71% said the city needs more officers
The jump in potential recruits comes after the maximum application age was raised from 29 to 34
“The days of handing a recruit a badge, a gun and then going on some training runs are over,” Jacksonville PD Chief Adam Mefford said
“You can get done with a shift, maybe it was a stressful shift. ... The best way to decompress is go out canoeing, hunting or fishing,” Police Chief Chad Houde said
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- Ala. sheriff’s office joins Army program to recruit veterans