Recruitment, Retention, and Turnover of Police Personnel: Reliable, Practical, and Effective Solutions

The recruitment and selection of exceptional personnel are critical to a police department achieving its mission; however, agencies nationwide are experiencing difficulty finding and retaining qualified officers. This book provides a systematic approach to successful employee recruitment in both law and enforcement and criminal justice agencies. The text discusses in detail the legal environment and necessity to develop a diverse workforce. It further outlines the need, benefits, and steps for identifying a department's core values, conducting an organizational assessment, and completing a staffing analysis, which provides the foundation for reducing turnover and improving recruitment and retention. The text offers the means to identify an agency's labor market and tailor recruitment efforts accordingly. Also explored is the need to market a department and develop an employer brand, along with developing a relationship with the media. A variety of recruitment techniques are presented, including referral systems, poaching, electronic and print media, and career fairs. A special section is included for improving minority and female recruitment. The text identifies the factors attributable to high levels of attrition and outlines actions to build a strong organizational culture and slow the churn of turnover. The text also focuses on the mentoring process to guide employees through the various stages of their career. While the concepts of the book are theoretically based, emphasis is placed on reliable, practical, and effective solutions for addressing the issues of recruitment, retention, and turnover of police personnel.