Recruitment Practices

• NCJ Number: 169713
• Journal: Telemasp Bulletin Volume: 3 Issue: 6 Dated: (September 1996) Pages: complete issue
• Author(s): B W McKay
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Thirty-seven Texas police agencies responded to a survey regarding their recruitment practices.

Abstract

The primary goal of the survey was to compile information on the kind of applicants sought, strategies for attracting applicants, and attractions/barriers that help or hinder recruitment efforts. Survey findings show that the median number of applicants hired was 13 per year. Seven agencies conducted recruiting on a large scale, attempting to fill positions for 70 or more vacancies each year. Many departments value higher education for police officers, preferring applicants with experience in college. Through visits to college campuses, incentive pay for officers with degrees, and other programs, departments have been able to raise the average level of education among police personnel. Slightly more than half of the respondents reported that they used a recruitment strategy that actively targets those with a college education. When asked for specific goals concerning the recruitment of minority candidates, most departments reported that their goal was to employ a police force that is approximately representative of the jurisdiction it serves. Responding departments indicated that the newspaper was the most often used medium for the dissemination of recruitment information. The only other resource used by more than half of the departments was job fairs. Some agencies used the World Wide Web to reach candidates. The largest departments had a unit devoted to the recruitment of applicants. Seventy-six percent of the responding agencies reported that they have been successful in recruiting quality applicants. Most indicated that salary was a key in attracting such applicants. Other frequently mentioned attractions were the reputation and size of the department and the quality of equipment and benefits available. Overall, the survey findings show that the successful recruiting unit views recruitment as an important investment for a department, requiring top priority. 4 figures, 4 tables, and 15 references