NCJ Number
205839
Date Published
April 2003
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This report examines the challenges involved with the recruitment and retention of North Carolina’s sworn sheriffs’ personnel.
Abstract
During the summer of 2000, justice commissions throughout North Carolina held a joint planning retreat to identify and address the main challenges facing North Carolina’s criminal justice system. A research study team was assembled to provide more information about these identified challenges. The result is a series of four reports that focus on issues related to the recruitment and retention of sworn police officers, sworn sheriff’s officer personnel, detention officers, and public safety telecommunications officials; this report presents findings from a survey on recruitment and retention strategies for sworn sheriffs’ personnel. A 22-item survey was administered to a random sample of 80 sheriffs’ offices; findings are based on the 49 completed surveys. Survey questions probed issues related to recruiting sworn sheriffs’ personnel, including specific strategies or techniques, number of applicants, and extent of waiting list of potential candidates. Attrition and retention were also probed through questions related to the agency’s turnover and vacancy rates. Results indicated that over half of the respondents utilized neutral recruitment strategies, while 22 percent employed passive strategies and 20 percent employed aggressive strategies. The most frequently used recruitment techniques included word of mouth, community colleges, and employing officers from an existing auxiliary or reserve police force. Over half of the responding agencies reported having a waiting list of qualified deputy sheriff applicants. The three most common barriers to effective recruitment were identified as budget restrictions, competition with other criminal justice agencies, and competition with the private sector. The most frequently identified retention techniques were fair promotions, educational incentives, and annual pay increases. Budget restrictions were identified as the main reason for sworn personnel attrition; the average length of an officer’s employment in sheriffs’ offices is 28 months. Five recommendations are made to improve the recruitment and retention of sworn sheriffs’ personnel in North Carolina: (1) intensify recruitment strategies; (2) strengthen screening procedures; (3) pay increases; (4) educational incentives; and (5) more research on lateral transfers within the law enforcement community. Figures, tables