Ten Rules for Effective Law Enforcement Recruiting

Recruiting is an action verb A recruiter needs to recruit. That means having an e-mail address and/or phone number that candidates can call and actually speak with a human about what the agency offers. A recruiter should identify good candidates and follow up with them. If the rules are broken, change the rules

Whether it is a state law, civil service rule or internal policy; the rules need to be re-evaluated and if necessary, changed. For example, one state law puts a ten-year limit on a single drug use event other than marijuana. This would seem to include Ecstasy and a prescription drug someone gave you for pain medication. Perhaps the agencies in that state need to lobby to get that law changed. Civil service laws should be changed to allow expedited testing, temporary positions, conditional offers, and veteran and foreign language bonus points. Obviously law changes are easier in small states, but do what you can.

Your competition has, so if you don't expedite the process, you will get the leftovers. Pay now or pay later in termination and legal costs. One corrections agency has employees conditionally hired and in training in 3 weeks. One sheriff's department has them hired in six weeks and many are now done in 12 to 14 weeks. In some cases employees are in training and sign a waiver that their position is temporary pending completion of the background investigation.

This is part of the basics. In the Marine Corps; every Marine a Rifleman. In your agency; every Officer a Recruiter. All officers should be briefed on the need to hire a qualified and diverse workforce. After all, these are their co-workers and cover officers. Likewise, civilian employees should be briefed, and recruiting business cards given to all.

Actual recruiters should be volunteers, not officers on light duty or someone seeking an easy day job. They should be trained mostly in marketing and sales techniques. They should read books on sales and talk to military recruiters and even car salespersons that you might know!

Recruiting is changing and there is a need to be progressive. Everyone should be involved including officers, administrators, recruiters, human resources staff, community members, marketing experts, etc. All should sit down and brainstorm new ideas. For example, some smaller agencies are starting to consolidate recruiting, job fairs and testing to reduce costs and stretch resources.

While thinking outside the box, don't forget the cost effective basics. I call them the "Three Bs and a W": Business cards, Bumper Stickers, Banners and an effective Web Site.

Testing, budget, advertising, conditional hires, and other policies need to be carefully coordinated.

Just like the need for human resources to cooperate; it is vital that the administration buy into the recruiting efforts. This may involve a willingness to consider changes in working conditions, hours, benefits, shifts, etc. It may also include the need for the agency head to coordinate with other chiefs and sheriffs and to lobby for change.

Again, this may include changes in working conditions. One agency has an officer assigned specifically to retention and working with family members. They are also looking at hiring a veteran officer's wife (who is also a former cop) as a family retention specialist. Now that's thinking outside the box.