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
Under the agreement between the U.S. Army and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, service members are guaranteed an interview after completing their military service
Pittsburgh has historically budgeted for 900 officers, which it reached in 2019 before falling to 830 in 2022 and 750 by the end of 2023; 105 left the department in 2024
Discover how the Lean approach can streamline law enforcement recruitment, reduce inefficiencies and attract top talent while maintaining high standards
911 leaders explored creative strategies to tackle staffing challenges, highlighting fresh approaches to scheduling, workforce autonomy and generational differences
In 2017, 18,000 people pursued NYPD officer positions; only 8,000 started the candidacy process in 2024
Attract police recruits with these actionable insights from a BJA/COPS Office report
Discover how the Town of Manlius Police Department’s hands-on approach to recruitment and retention is achieving full staffing for the first time in years
The Western Australia Police Force set out to create a powerful police recruitment video to attract recruits committed to policing the world’s largest jurisdiction
Struggling with a cybersecurity talent shortage and high turnover? These actionable strategies can help you recruit and retain the experts your cybercrime unit needs to combat growing digital threats
Montgomery County faces 166 vacancies and is expecting a wave of retirements; officials are pushing to remove a policy requiring applicants to be cannabis-free for three years
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