PHILADELPHIA, PA - Recent data from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) reveals a notable uptick in officer recruitment across police departments in the United States.
This trend comes after a period of decline in officer numbers, attributed to the aftermath of the George Floyd riots and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 lockdowns.
According to PERF's latest survey, conducted in 2023, police departments nationwide welcomed more sworn officers than in any of the preceding four years.
This increase in hiring coincided with a decrease in resignations and retirements among law enforcement personnel.
The death of George Floyd in 2020 led to widespread rioting against alleged police brutality and heightened scrutiny of law enforcement practices. Alongside the persistent challenges of the lockdowns, these events prompted an exodus of officers from their positions, resulting in staffing shortages across many departments.
“I just think that the past four years have been particularly challenging for American policing,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of PERF, a nonprofit policing think tank based in Washington, D.C. “And our survey shows we’re finally starting to turn a corner.”
The impact of these shortages was keenly felt, with departments compelled to reallocate resources to address escalating crime rates. This often involved reassigning officers from non-essential tasks to prioritize more pressing matters like emergency response.
While larger departments continue to face challenges in reaching pre-pandemic staffing levels, smaller agencies, particularly those with fewer than 50 officers, are grappling with higher rates of resignations and retirements.
Some have even been forced to disband, relying on external assistance for law enforcement services.
“I don’t think it’s all about money. I think it’s about the way people perceive their job and feel they are going to be supported,” Wexler said. “You have West Coast departments that are paying six figures, but still seeing major challenges in hiring.”
Factors such as pay incentives and relaxed application requirements have played a significant role in attracting new recruits. Larger departments have offered competitive salaries and signing bonuses to entice experienced officers, alongside streamlining the hiring process.
“Policing is a real profession that requires more skills and more education than people can understand,” Maria “Maki” Haberfeld, chair of the Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said. “It’s not about tattoos or running a mile in 15 minutes. It’s really more about emotional intelligence, maturity and making those split-second decisions that don’t use deadly force.”
“In policing, it takes decades to move forward and a split second for the public attitude to deteriorate,” she said.
However, experts caution against compromising on hiring standards in pursuit of bolstering officer numbers. They stress the importance of qualities like emotional intelligence and maturity in effective policing, emphasizing the need to maintain high standards within law enforcement agencies.
Public perception of policing has also evolved, with some shifting away from discussions about defunding the police and moving towards acknowledging the urgency of addressing officer shortages.
This change in attitude has prompted a reevaluation of how public officials support and prioritize their law enforcement departments.
The recent surge in officer hiring represents a significant turning point for police departments in the U.S. Despite ongoing challenges, including recruitment disparities between small and large agencies, efforts to bolster law enforcement ranks have shown promising results.
“We went from having public discourse about defunding the police just a few years ago to public officials waking up to the fact their workforce is leaving,” Wexler said. “I don’t think there’s any question that there has been a sea change among political leaders.”
This trend comes after a period of decline in officer numbers, attributed to the aftermath of the George Floyd riots and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 lockdowns.
According to PERF's latest survey, conducted in 2023, police departments nationwide welcomed more sworn officers than in any of the preceding four years.
This increase in hiring coincided with a decrease in resignations and retirements among law enforcement personnel.
The death of George Floyd in 2020 led to widespread rioting against alleged police brutality and heightened scrutiny of law enforcement practices. Alongside the persistent challenges of the lockdowns, these events prompted an exodus of officers from their positions, resulting in staffing shortages across many departments.
“I just think that the past four years have been particularly challenging for American policing,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of PERF, a nonprofit policing think tank based in Washington, D.C. “And our survey shows we’re finally starting to turn a corner.”
The impact of these shortages was keenly felt, with departments compelled to reallocate resources to address escalating crime rates. This often involved reassigning officers from non-essential tasks to prioritize more pressing matters like emergency response.
While larger departments continue to face challenges in reaching pre-pandemic staffing levels, smaller agencies, particularly those with fewer than 50 officers, are grappling with higher rates of resignations and retirements.
Some have even been forced to disband, relying on external assistance for law enforcement services.
“I don’t think it’s all about money. I think it’s about the way people perceive their job and feel they are going to be supported,” Wexler said. “You have West Coast departments that are paying six figures, but still seeing major challenges in hiring.”
Factors such as pay incentives and relaxed application requirements have played a significant role in attracting new recruits. Larger departments have offered competitive salaries and signing bonuses to entice experienced officers, alongside streamlining the hiring process.
“Policing is a real profession that requires more skills and more education than people can understand,” Maria “Maki” Haberfeld, chair of the Department of Law, Police Science and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said. “It’s not about tattoos or running a mile in 15 minutes. It’s really more about emotional intelligence, maturity and making those split-second decisions that don’t use deadly force.”
“In policing, it takes decades to move forward and a split second for the public attitude to deteriorate,” she said.
However, experts caution against compromising on hiring standards in pursuit of bolstering officer numbers. They stress the importance of qualities like emotional intelligence and maturity in effective policing, emphasizing the need to maintain high standards within law enforcement agencies.
Public perception of policing has also evolved, with some shifting away from discussions about defunding the police and moving towards acknowledging the urgency of addressing officer shortages.
This change in attitude has prompted a reevaluation of how public officials support and prioritize their law enforcement departments.
The recent surge in officer hiring represents a significant turning point for police departments in the U.S. Despite ongoing challenges, including recruitment disparities between small and large agencies, efforts to bolster law enforcement ranks have shown promising results.
“We went from having public discourse about defunding the police just a few years ago to public officials waking up to the fact their workforce is leaving,” Wexler said. “I don’t think there’s any question that there has been a sea change among political leaders.”
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