Although there may not be a magic solution that will solve all jurisdictions’ police recruiting challenges, there are strategies staff can consider to build upon existing efforts in a way that leads to more effective hiring. ICMA's recent report, The Model Police Officer: Recruitment, Training, and Community Engagement, follows a survey to local communities which gathered perspectives of management, police administration, officers, human resources, and the community on police recruitment, training, and community engagement. Based on the survey results, here are the top tips for police recruitment and hiring that local governments can use when considering changing the way they hire police officers.

1. November, 2018
Recruiting and Hiring Police Officers
Recommendations for Modernizing Police Recruitment

2. Recruiting for any local government position is a challenge at a time of low
unemployment, but the recruitment of police officers presents special
challenges.
ICMA has completed a report on police recruitment, training, and
community engagement that provides a range of perspectives from
management, police administration, officers, human resources, and
community members.
The following slides display some of the recommendations for
modernizing police recruitment and the accompanying survey
results.

3. Recommendation #1:
Focus on the skills, not the
department.

4. Figure 1: Model Police Officer Priorities, Characteristics, and Skills
Shown here are the
average ratings of
respondents when
asked to rate the
importance of a
series of activities
or priorities. Ratings
were assessed on a
scale of 1-10, with
10 representing
very important, and
1 representing not
at all important.

5. Recommendation #2:
Plan for the skills that will be
needed in 10 years

6. Figure 2: Preferred Personal and Technical Skills, by Position
Shown here are the
average ratings of
respondents when
asked about the
importance of various
skills, education, and
experience that may
be found among
successful
incumbents at
various levels within
a police department.
Ratings were
assessed on a scale
of 1-10, with 10
representing very
important, and 1
representing not at
all important.

7. Recommendation #3:
Consider the ways in which
community engagement may
assist in serving the public or
fighting crime

8. Shown here is the
comparison of
community
members’ attitudes
(rated 1 to 10) to
those of
jurisdiction staff
with regard to
engagement and
trust.
Figure 3: Engagement and Trust (breakout by Community and
Staff)

9. Recommendation #4:
Align the Message

10. Figure 4: Recruitment Messaging: Photo and Video Images (responses from
Human Resources)
Shown here is the share
of human resource
respondents who report
using various images in
their campaigns.
*Note: These figures do not
indicate how prevalent such
images are within the
campaigns, but rather the share
of human resources
respondents who report using
them. For example, 62 percent
of photos are not of dogs, but K-
9 units appear somewhere
within 62 percent of recruitment
campaigns. the share of human
resources respondents who
report using them.

12. Ask an ICMA Manager: What Are the Best Interview Questions for a Police Chief?
Blog Post: Local Police Departments Recent Lip Sync Battles Exemplify Community Engagement
Report: The Model Police Officer: Recruitment, Training, and Community Engagement
Checklist: 21st Century Police Recruitment
E-book: Selecting a Police Chief: A Handbook for Local Government
Related Resources