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
The National Police Association raised security concerns regarding alleged inadequate screening of migrants’ “criminal activity from their countries of origin”
The Vallejo Police Department, budgeted for 132 officers, currently operates with just 62 active officers, 36 of whom are assigned to patrol
Cities create civilian officer teams to free up uniformed officers, to be a visible representation of the agency in high-crime areas, or perform community outreach duties
From understanding your audience to the importance of a strong call to action, these tips will help your police agency turn interest into applications
The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s day care center aims to improve employee retention and recruitment by addressing work-life balance challenges
If approved by the city council, the agreement would also extend the timeline for officer discipline cases
Whether it’s fitness, hobbies or spending time with non-LE friends, finding balance is key to staying sharp both on and off duty
The new positions would allow the Oroville PD to build relationships with homeless people and connect them with appropriate resources
Younger attendees at a job fair primarily asked questions related to officer wellness, quality of life, community impact and schedule flexibility
As part of the CHP’s ongoing recruitment efforts, more than 16,000 applications have been submitted in 2024, with the department on track to surpass last year’s total of 19,500
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