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.
Today’s candidates expect speed, simplicity and a mobile experience – here’s how to stay ahead
A young officer explains how leadership failures — not pay or recruiting budgets — are driving morale and retention problems in small town policing
The 30x30 Initiative works with law enforcement agencies to recruit, retain and advance women officers by improving hiring, promotion and workplace practices
Full tuition waivers to the state’s colleges would be available after six years of service; line of duty death benefits would increase from $25,000 to $100,000 under the bill
“I want people to see that behind the uniform is actually a person. We’re sons and daughters and mothers and fathers, and we have souls,” Lt. Courtney Murphy said
Under the deal, officers would receive 10% raises in July, and then 8% raises in 2026, 6% raises in both 2027 and 2028 and 6.5% raises in 2029
How to use recruitment messaging and leverage new technology to attract, hire, onboard and retain top talent
California ranked #1 for the second year in a row, followed by Connecticut and Illinois; among the lowest on the list are Nevada, Hawaii and Alaska
The resignation followed an incident where the Jacksboro city manager suspected police officers of attempting to ‘set him up’ for a DUI arrest and called for an investigation
Daily applications to the NYPD increased by nearly 45%, from 56 to 81 per day on average; since February, more than 9,700 people have applied to take the next police exam
In 2024, Seattle PD rolled out a package of incentives, including a $50,000 bonus for lateral recruits; the department has brought on 60 new officers in 2025
S.B. 641 will “repeal the statutory limit on the number of police,” allowing the Pennsylvania State Police to “hire the number of troopers that they see fit,” State Sen. Marty Flynn said
Fixing policing’s future starts with fixing its leaders
Wellness
The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office’s 4/8/40 schedule pays deputies for working four 10-hour shifts, while they can use 2 hours per shift to work out, go to counseling or do other activities
“There’s a lot to being a police officer — more than what you see on TV,” Aurora Police Captain Justin Shipley said. “But they absorb it all, and they’re excited to get out here”
“We’re so short-handed, we worry about [patrol officers’] abilities mentally and physically,” Muskogee Police Chief Johnnie Teehee said
LAPD’s recruitment campaign targets adults 21–35 with ads on Instagram, Twitch, Reddit and LA billboards
The contract will include a wage increase of 18% and fixes an ongoing problem where some sergeants were getting paid less than seasoned officers under their command
More than 1,400 of the agency’s 10,000 jobs sat empty, and more than 900 were held by people out on leave; last year, deputies worked more than 4.3 million hours of overtime
On April 7, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 364, which allows people with work authorization from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to serve as LEOs
The Fort Gaines town council voted to combine the city’s law enforcement coverage with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office because the city cannot fund a police department
Dallas HERO is urging the city to show progress toward hiring the 900 officers the police department needs to be in compliance with Proposition U
More can be done to fill today’s vacancies than just recruitment
Built on pride, purpose and self-leadership, this video is inspiring the next generation to serve
The fallout is lowered morale, legal risks and erosion of public trust
The bill offers first-time homebuyer assistance with $0 down and no monthly mortgage insurance for qualified law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS providers
Discover how AI solutions can assist public safety agencies in tackling the increasing complexities of modern investigations
Jay Ross, who played for the Green Bay Packers during their 2010 Super Bowl-winning season, will now supervise the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office SRO program
Set to Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us,” the West Memphis PD’s video has led to recruitment inquiries from Canada to Africa
Since 2022, the reality TV docuseries has provided an unfiltered look at law enforcement in action, offering transparency, boosting community trust and even helping agencies attract recruits
The event commemorates the 50th anniversary of the National Policing Institute’s 1974 report, “Women in Policing: A Manual”
With more than 100 troopers nearing retirement, Minnesota State Patrol’s LETO program is filling the gap with recruits from diverse career backgrounds
The Fort Worth Police Department created its “diss track” in response to a Dallas Police recruiting billboard installed in Fort Worth
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