Recruitment & Retention member surveyBy Ed Wojcicki, Executive Director From the Spring 2022 Command Magazine (MEMBERS ONLY) Posted April 19, 2022 We asked you about recruitment and retention. Results back up what we’ve been saying anecdotally The results of our Recruitment and Retention Survey support with data what we have been saying: It is rather suddenly much harder to retain and recruit officers in our police agencies. We have been saying that, and legislators and the media have been asking us: Do you have the data on that? Now we have both quantitative and qualitative data. We put a survey together in February and sent it to all of our members, and the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association also sent it to all 102 sheriff’s offices. The Chicago Police Department did not respond and so its challenges are not reflected in our survey results. RESPONSES
RETIREMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS INCREASINGResignations and retirements increased by 29 percent in 2021 from the year before, in 2020
STAFFING LEVELS
HIRING AND RECRUITMENT
QUALITATIVE COMMENTS Here are a few of the comments about changes in applicants from five to seven years ago, since 2015 (the year after Ferguson):
WHAT MEMBERS ARE SAYING
HOW IS THIS INFORMATION USEFUL? We encourage you to share this information, especially with the media, legislators and community leaders throughout the state. Law enforcement leaders need support and resources in order to change this data and the trends in recruiting being experienced across the profession. It is our hope that this data is the first step in making this a priority to communities and lawmakers. BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL RECRUITMENT STRATEGY Given the obvious challenges in recruiting and retaining officers within our state, it is critical that agencies develop a comprehensive strategy to highlight their department and attract qualified candidates. Over the next few months, we plan to highlight what departments across the state are doing, starting with two standouts below. Collinsville Police Department Chief Steve Evans and Assistant Chief Brett Boerm have put together a comprehensive approach to recruitment. Their in-house team has created a series of videos highlighting the benefits of joining the department. The CPD’s messaging covers the community, state-of-the-art training and facilities, career opportunities and the benefits package to appeal to potential recruits. In February 2022, the department initiated an Accelerated Entry hiring process. Learn more about their recruitment efforts by visiting collinsvilleil.org and clicking on the recruitment tab.
Oswego Police Department Chief Jeff Burgner has led a complete overhaul of the recruitment process in recent years. The OPD has a stunning website devoted completely to its recruitment efforts. The site featuring a professional-quality recruitment video that truly gives you a sense of what it is like to serve this tight-knit community. Plus, their materials showcase their new facilities and the level of investment that goes into new officers through training and opportunities for growth. To see their recruitment materials, visit www.opdrecruits.com.
Several more of our member organizations have analyzed their own efforts to recruit qualified officers, and we hope to showcase their efforts in the coming months.
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