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
Department staffing has hovered at around 900 officers since 2023; in addition to the marketing investment, NOPD has raised salaries and enlistment bonuses to draw in new recruits
Actionable strategies for trainers and FTOs to boost resilience and confidence in today’s young officers
With staffing unsustainable, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office is phasing out its E-unit
The 42-year-old was participating in the Florida Law Enforcement Academy program when he suffered a fatal medical emergency
Meet Deputy Chief James Beyer of the Irving (Texas) Police Department, who brings a humanistic, solutions-driven approach to policy, personnel and long-term planning
Embracing inclusion, empathy and collaboration strengthens law enforcement and builds trust in the communities we serve
The Elton Police chief disputed the amount of money the town council said his department spent; the council said he bypassed measures intended to keep the PD in budget
Before the change, ICE applicants were required to be 21 years old and no older than 37 or 40, depending on what position they were applying for
Brandon Hughes, who played cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles between 2010 and 2013, was sworn into the Falls Township Police Department
The Pathways to Policing Act would authorize $50M per year for state and local police hiring grants, and another $50M annually for a DOJ-led nationwide recruitment campaign
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