NCJ Number
214301
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 75 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2006 Pages: 20-23
Date Published
May 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article briefly discusses the Ottawa Police Service’s staffing crisis and the development of a staffing strategy to address the staffing crisis and the implementation of an outreach recruitment project.
Abstract
Realizing an impending staffing crisis due to retirement and turnover, the Ottawa Police Service in Canada is taking necessary steps to preserve corporate knowledge and to ensure they have the people to effectively police the community. In developing a recruitment strategy, the Ottawa Police Service first conducted a study on impediments to implementing a new recruitment strategy. The results identified a culture within the police service resistant to members from diverse communities in the organization, as well as a resistance to women. In addition, critical areas were identified that needed attention prior to moving forward. Following this study the police service created the Outreach Recruitment Project. The Project aims to find ways to recruit and retain qualified applicants for the service while addressing the organization’s need for diversity in the areas of sexual orientation, gender, race, and ethnic background. The Ottawa Police Service carefully constructed a program based on merit. The end goal is to have a more effective police service, where the police will be able to communicate in various languages and understand different cultures and lifestyles.