NCJ Number
194857
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 69 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2002 Pages: 31-34
Date Published
2002
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the importance of police developing effective recruitment strategies.
Abstract
Police departments need to develop effective recruitment strategies not just to fill existing vacancies but also to attract an applicant pool large enough to allow for sufficient selectivity in the hiring process. The Boulder, CO, Police Department’s applicant pool has consisted primarily of white males. The Department attempted to change this imbalance through recruitment efforts beyond its demographic boundaries. The effort ultimately failed, the victim of budget limitations resulting from the excessive cost of dealing with annual student rioting. The Boulder Police Department has begun working with criminal justice programs at local colleges and universities. Participants have agreed to actively support each other’s efforts to educate, develop, and employ qualified police applicants. The Boulder Department has also begun developing intern and work-study opportunities for soon-to-graduate police applicants.