Police Staffing Sees a Comeback Amid Ongoing Challenges
For the first time in years, police departments across the United States are reporting a welcome increase in their ranks. According to a recent survey by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), more sworn officers were hired in 2023 than in any of the previous four years, and fewer resigned or retired.
Reversing the Exodus
This hiring surge marks a turning point after years of historic officer departures, largely triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in 2020. Many departments were forced to reallocate stretched resources during this exodus, potentially affecting response times and diverting officers from important tasks.
“The past four years have been particularly challenging for American policing,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of PERF. “And our survey shows we’re finally starting to turn a corner.”
Size Matters
However, the recovery is not uniform across all departments. While small and medium departments have surpassed their staffing levels since January 2020, large departments remain more than 5% below, despite a year-over-year increase from 2022 to 2023.
Smaller departments with fewer than 50 officers face a higher resignation and retirement rate. Vexingly, the survey provides no insight into whether officers are transitioning to larger departments or leaving the profession altogether.
Incentives and Beyond
To attract new hires, many larger departments have increased officer pay or offered incentives such as signing bonuses for experienced officers. However, smaller departments often lack the resources to compete on these fronts.
“I don’t think it’s all about money,” said Wexler. “I think it’s about the way people perceive their job and feel they are going to be supported.”
Beyond financial incentives, many agencies are reexamining their hiring practices. This includes relaxing restrictions on visible tattoos, reconsidering past financial issues, and expediting background checks.
Wexler cautions against lowering training or applicant standards. “Policing is a real profession that requires more skills and more education than people can understand,” said Maria “Maki” Haberfeld, chair of the Department of Law, Police Science, and Criminal Justice Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Hiring Challenges
Despite the progress, some high-paying large departments still struggle to attract new officers. Haberfeld worries that some are lowering standards to fill numbers rather than seeking the best candidates for safeguarding communities.
“In policing, it takes decades to move forward and a split second for the public attitude to deteriorate,” she said.
Retention Gains
Encouragingly, the survey revealed a significant drop in resignations, from 6,500 in 2022 to under 5,100 in 2023. This improvement may stem from increased pay and benefits, as well as a shift in public sentiment following the defund the police movement.
“We went from having public discourse about defunding the police just a few years ago to public officials waking up to the fact their workforce is leaving,” said Wexler.
The survey suggests a downward trend in retirements, although small departments continue to experience higher rates. Large agencies with over 250 officers saw a significant drop in resignations, followed by medium-size agencies with 50 to 249 officers.
The Road Ahead
While the hiring and retention improvements are welcome, the profession faces ongoing challenges. The survey confirms that small departments continue to struggle with staffing, and the overall exodus has not fully subsided yet.
Hiring and retaining qualified officers is crucial for effective policing. Departments must continue to examine their hiring practices and provide competitive incentives while maintaining high standards to enhance their ranks with dedicated and skilled professionals.
Police departments across the U.S. are reporting an increase in their ranks for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 killing of George Floyd, which led to a historic exodus of officers, a survey shows. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
