7 strategies for successfully recruiting police

By working to develop effective strategies for police department recruiting, law enforcement agencies can help create more positive trends in police hiring and staffing.

1. Community collaborations

By collaborating with local and regional communities, police departments and other law enforcement agencies can build trust and improve public perception of the job. Some collaboration strategies include:

• Community outreach programs. Police agencies can partner with local organizations to host events and workshops or show up for existing local events, such as healthcare fundraising walks. Getting involved in the community can help create a positive departmental presence, generating goodwill that can lead to more applicants.
• Mentorship programs. When officers provide guidance and support to those in the community, they develop potentially long-lasting relationships and bonds that can have a positive impact on recruiting.
• DEI initiatives. Working to reach and recruit candidates from underrepresented populations in the local community can create a more diverse and inclusive police force, which may be attractive to some candidates.
• Educational partnerships. By partnering with local schools, agencies can create positive awareness of law enforcement in the community and encourage interest in police-related jobs.
• Creating community advisory boards. Inviting the community into law enforcement decision-making can help foster two-way communication that leads to better recruitment outcomes in the future.

2. Internal recommendations

A potential short-term strategy for recruiting police is to seek recommendations internally. Your existing officers likely know who in the community might make a good fellow officer, and there’s also a good chance they know some people who might be interested in the position. Because existing officers will have to work side-by-side with new recruits, they are often motivated to recommend strong candidates.

3. Creating compensation incentives

Get creative with your budget resources and offer economic incentives that help make your positions more competitive on the market. Some ideas include:

• Sign-on bonuses that help attract qualified candidates to your positions
• Starting salaries that are in line with the pay offered by nearby jurisdictions
• Options for tuition assistance or student loan forgiveness for qualifying officers—police officers may qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs
• Specialization pay for officers that have unique certifications or skills
• Excellent health and insurance packages

4. Considering disqualifier relaxation

In some cases, the stringent qualifications on a police officer job description may hold candidates back from applying or reduce an agency’s options when selecting from candidate pools. Consider where you can relax disqualifiers without a substantial negative impact on police outcomes.

Related: Police Officer Interview Questions

5. Enhanced online recruitment

By investing in your digital employer brand and online recruitment strategies, you may be able to reach more candidates. Some common strategies include:

• Targeted advertising on social media, which helps you reach people on social media platforms who are most likely to be interested in your positions
• Creating engaging online content for your website that enhances search engine performance, ensuring people who search for your opportunities can find them
• Developing a user-friendly website that informs the public, builds trust with your audience and helps potential candidates research your agency before applying
• Leveraging online job listing sites, such as Indeed, to expand your reach and lend credibility to your job postings
• Using professional platforms to connect with qualified candidates who may be looking for a new position

6. Offering flexible time and other attractive perks

While you may face budget constraints that make it difficult to offer the most compelling salary on the market for new police officer hires, consider how you can create perks packages that are attractive to candidates. Potential perks might include:

• Fitness incentives, such as gym memberships
• Flexible scheduling to help support work-life balance
• Generous paid time off policies
• Housing stipends or relocation reimbursement
• Retirement savings options, such as enhanced pension plans or the potential for early retirement
• Opportunities for earning bonuses, such as referral bonuses
• Stipends for personal technology devices to help officers cover the cost of smartphones or computers
• Benefits for officer families, such as educational scholarships

Read more: Employee Perks vs. Employee Benefits

7. Partnering with local colleges

Consider partnering with local campuses to recruit college students enrolled in programs that prepare them for work in law enforcement. Open discussions with faculty involved in criminal justice, psychology, criminology, forensic science, sociology, public administration, law and other relevant degree programs. You might also want to connect with leaders in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and other extracurricular environments.

FAQs about police department staffing

How do recruiting and training practices affect policing?

As agencies work to address police shortages, they should remain aware of how their recruiting strategies may impact practical police work. Recruiting and training can have a positive or negative impact on public perception and trust of the department, diversity and inclusion within the agency and the ethical standards to which police officers are held.

Related: Indeed’s Public Sector Talent Hub

Why is a police officer’s job challenging?

Police officers face a number of challenges in their work, including potential dangerous encounters, a physically demanding job, emotional stress and long hours or shift work. Other challenges can include dealing with public perception, the impact of the work on family and making complex ethical decisions in environments that don’t always allow a lot of time to gather and consider information. These challenges should be considered when recruiting so you can balance them with education, training and potential perks.