NCJ Number
243877
Date Published
2009
Length
142 pages
Annotation
This report presents information on methods for improving recruiting efforts by the Los Angeles Police Department.
Abstract
This report by the Rand Corporation presents information on methods for improving recruiting efforts by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The work was conducted to assist the LAPD in achieving its recruiting and diversity goals by improving efficiency and productivity in the recruiting process. The report has five chapters, the first of which provides background information on the recruiting efforts by the LAPD along with a conceptual framework that was used to guide analyses of the situation. Chapter 2 of the report examines the department's current recruitment and advertising strategies and offers guidance on determining which methods are most effective. Chapter 3 presents a scoring method for use in prioritizing candidates, especially during the background investigation stage, while chapter 4 contains a set of proposed changes for increasing efficiency and productivity in the personnel department's Background Investigation Division. The final chapter of the report contains information on enhancing planning and using operational tools to improve efficiency and productivity in the recruiting process. The report also contains a set of 12 recommendations that include staging recruiting events in neglected and underperforming areas and continue to make recruiting inroads on junior-college campuses; tailor the media mix to attract diversity target groups; revise the marketing surveys to better gauge marketing influences; encourage applicants with clean preliminary background applications to complete the application process; assign scores to prioritize candidates; and integrate the background investigators and personnel analysts into investigation teams. Tables, figures, appendix, and references