Content provided by SAFEGUARD Recruiting
When it comes to law enforcement recruiting, technology isn’t optional anymore. Candidates expect speed, simplicity and a mobile experience from the first click to the first conversation. Departments that adopt recruiting-focused technology don’t just hire faster; they reduce drop-off, improve communication and free recruiters to do what they do best: Build trust and guide the right people through the process.
Here are five technology tips every police recruiter should implement to stay ahead.
1. Build a recruiting website designed to convert
If your website isn’t built for recruiting, you are losing candidates you didn’t know you had. A dedicated recruiting site is a strong start, but the real difference is whether it’s built for conversions, meaning every element pushes a qualified candidate toward action.
The Asheville Police Department in North Carolina had invested heavily in a branded recruiting website but saw minimal results until the site was revamped with conversion in mind.According to Doug Larsen, COO of SAFEGUARD Recruiting, a recruiting website is often the “low-hanging fruit,” as small structural changes can yield major increases in candidate activity. Since Asheville PD revised its website, the agency has averaged over 20 candidates a month and doubled its academy size within the first year.
Recruiting website checklist
- One clear primary call to action above the fold: “Apply” or “Start here”.
- Fast, mobile-friendly forms.
- Clear hiring steps with realistic time expectations.
- Pay, benefits, schedule and career paths in plain language.
- One-tap contact options: Click-to-call and click-to-text.
2. Go mobile first
Today’s recruits live on their phones. If you force candidates to switch to a desktop, you’ll lose them. Mobile-first means every key action can be completed quickly on a phone: job requirements, asking questions, submitting interest and starting the application.
The Milwaukee Police Department in Wisconsin recently launched a recruiting-focused website built around a mobile-first design, making it easier for candidates to find information, submit interest and apply directly from their phones.
Go mobile-first checklist
- Buttons should be thumb-friendly.
- Forms should be completed in under one minute.
- No critical information should be locked inside PDFs.
- Early steps should be simple, then deepen later
3. Implement automated candidate nurturing
If you’ve ever bought anything online, you’ve experienced automated nurturing: timely emails and messages that keep a product top of mind. Recruiting is no different. Most candidates do not apply on the first contact, and many drop off because they forget, get busy, get discouraged or don’t know what happens next.
Automated nurturing solves this by creating consistent, scheduled communication that runs without requiring a recruiter to manually follow up hundreds of times. Once the messages are written and scheduled, recruiters regain time for calls, events and trust-building conversations.
The Philadelphia Police Department reported a 287% increase in hires in 2025 despite having fewer recruiters than the year before. One factor the agency credited was automated nurturing, with thousands of messages sent throughout the year to keep candidates engaged while recruiters focused on relationship building and case management.
Nurturing checklist
- Eligibility and disqualifiers (save everyone time).
- Hiring steps and what to expect next.
- Pay and benefits explained clearly.
- Culture and mission, with real examples.
- Preparation guidance (fitness, interview, background process expectations).
4. Launch an applicant tracking system (ATS)
There is more risk in spreadsheets than most agencies realize. Spreadsheets slow down response time, bury leads in email inboxes and make consistent follow-up almost impossible at scale. The bigger problem isn’t organization, it’s speed. Delayed contact equals lost candidates.
An applicant tracking system (ATS) centralizes leads, organizes communication and helps recruiters track each candidate’s progress through the process. An ATS also improves compliance, creates a stronger audit trail and enables segmentation so the right messages reach the right people. Not all platforms are built for this. Many are generic sales CRMs. If you want recruiting outcomes, choose tools built for first responder recruiting.
ATS checklist
- Captures leads from website, job boards and ads.
- Automated confirmations and task reminders.
- Two-way messaging and easy recruiter handoff.
- Tracks the candidate process across the process.
- Reporting for response time and drop-off points.
- Mobile-friendly with 24/7 access.
5. Use AI to capture, qualify and guide candidates 24/7
Recruiting doesn’t stop at 5 p.m., but most recruiters’ availability does. AI tools can keep candidates moving by answering common questions instantly, collecting key info and routing qualified leads to a recruiter without losing the human relationship piece.
AI checklist
- An AI chat assistant on your recruiting site that answers questions and explains steps clearly.
- Smart routing: AI tags candidates by interest (patrol, lateral, cadet) and readiness level.
- Automated follow-up triggered by behavior (started application but didn’t finish, asked about pay, etc.).
- Recruiter handoff with a summary, so the first human contact is faster and more personal.
Putting it all together
It’s no secret that law enforcement can be slow to adapt to new technology, but when it comes to recruiting, time is of the essence. Technology won’t replace recruiters, but it can remove friction, improve consistency and protect the recruiter’s time for the moments that matter.
SAFEGUARD Recruiting was launched with that premise, and they built SAFEGUARD Connect to combine mobile-first design, automated nurturing and pipeline organization in one place. Agencies using this approach have seen significant gains in applications while also giving recruiters more time for direct candidate engagement.
Case study highlight
A Police1 feature on the Cleveland Police Department in Ohio reported a 356% rise in cadet applications, with technology and recruiting workflow improvements cited as part of the effort. The lesson is simple: When departments reduce friction and improve follow-up, candidate volume can move quickly.
For more information, visit SAFEGUARD Recruiting.
