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
As much as surges in crime are principle to more overtime, so is staffing, department leadership says
It’s recommended the city continues using its current test, developed in 2012, and looks to 2025 to make a change
“Our staffing levels have reached a point where our primary focus must be on ensuring the minimal coverage necessary to keep our community safe,” a letter from Fulton PD states
‘There’s no playbook for this': Philadelphia police district will triple with arrival of 75 recruits
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the new officers will patrol the Kensington area on foot and bicycle, and begin enforcing stricter drug laws this summer
Funaiock discusses her role as a police captain, how SWAT prepared her for leadership and her vision for women’s roles and promotion in law enforcement
Meet Alison Funaiock: Newport News Police Department’s trailblazing captain, former SWAT sniper and community advocate
“I hope that we are able to work together as a team to make Seattle Police Department the most attractive department for women to come to work,” interim Chief Sue Rahr said
Officials said the return-to-work officers will earn $31.89 an hour for their first year back, including longevity pay once the hiring packet is completed
The study analyzed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to determine which states experienced the highest and lowest growth rates between 2022 and 2023
“I have real concerns with the numbers on the police force, but the only thing we can do is put our efforts toward the recruiting process,” Councilman Anthony Coghill said
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