Following meetings with more than 35 law enforcement and community leaders nationwide, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) this week released recommendations to reverse challenges facing recruitment and retention at law enforcement agencies nationwide.
The causes are many. In its Recruitment and Retention for the Modern Law Enforcement Agency report, the DOJ cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the labor market, community frustration over police and concerns about officer safety and well-being all as factors in ongoing staffing issues. That’s making agencies need to get innovative and creative in their approaches, and consequently, federal officials noted that they may need to reexamine foundational organizational structure and processes to better meet the needs and expectations of the modern age.
As a result, the report offered numerous recommendations, such as: reconsidering officer eligibility requirements; modernizing and accelerating the hiring process; investing in officer health, safety and wellbeing; and collaborating with community leaders to focus recruitment efforts on diversity and recruits who might not traditionally consider law enforcement careers.
“Law enforcement officers across the country are facing unprecedented challenges at a time when they are already being stretched thin,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said. “The Justice Department has produced this report because we recognize the urgency and significance of the recruitment and retention crisis that agencies are encountering. Policing is a noble profession, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support local police departments as they work to serve their communities, build public trust, and keep people safe.”
In all, the department made more than 50 recommendations. Some are as straightforward as the aforementioned, but others include more nebulous items, such as improved work-life balance for officers, modernizing the police culture and, overall, improving law enforcement’s image in current society. This was also paired with a conclusion that noted the perils of the status quo.
“Law enforcement is at a crossroads as more officers are leaving the field through resignation or retirement and fewer qualified applicants are considering policing as a career,” the report said. “Individual agencies must carefully examine how their mission, values, culture, and employees meet the changing needs of the communities they serve. As part of this, the profession must reconsider its current hiring and retention practices to modernize the workforce.”
The information gathered for this report was guided by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The COPS office advances community policing matters nationwide, working through grants, education, training and technical assistance provided by the DOJ.
“The challenge of hiring the right officers and keeping them on the force is one of the most difficult issues facing law enforcement agencies across the country,” Director Hugh Clements of the COPS Office said. “I know this publication is a resource that law enforcement executives have expressed a need for, and I believe this publication is an important step in meeting the recruitment and retention challenge.”