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
Recent poll results offer a glimpse into the current landscape and challenges associated with recruiting and retaining female police officers
As of March 1, HPD employed 1,740 officers out of 2,177 positions for a vacancy rate of about 20%, union researchers found
The city agreed to pay the officer $145,000 and to rewrite its civil service medical examiner’s policies
“Constructing a childcare center is necessary for the needs of our local law enforcement,” U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson stated. “Idaho officers and their families rightfully deserve our support, and I am pleased to see this crucial project move forward”
There are 52 recruits in the current academy class, making it one of the largest classes in recent years
The support officers receive during this time can significantly impact their career trajectory, job satisfaction and overall wellbeing
The success of the department’s recruitment and retention efforts have come after the department took a “holistic look” at its hiring process and made a number of changes, according to Aurora Deputy Chief of Police Matt Thomas
Since the fitness requirements were lowered, about 51% of Philly PD applicants have passed the exam, compared to 36% previously
Officers roamed the beaches, handing out water and merchandise and challenging spring breakers to pushup contests
By understanding the barriers, we can start to dismantle them, paving the way for strategies that enhance the hiring, recruitment and retention of women in law enforcement
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