Police departments across the United States are reporting an increase in officer ranks for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and the George Floyd killing in 2020. A survey by the Police Executive Research Forum shows that more sworn officers were hired in 2023 than in any of the previous four years, with fewer officers resigning or retiring. The aftermath of Floyd’s death led to nationwide protests against police brutality and increased scrutiny of law enforcement, causing many officers to leave their departments, which in turn strained resources and impacted response times to emergencies.
Despite the overall increase in hiring, individual departments are still facing challenges in attracting and retaining officers. Chuck Wexler, executive director of PERF, acknowledges that while progress is being made, the profession as a whole is not yet fully recovered from the setbacks of the past few years. Large departments are still more than 5% below their staffing levels from January 2020, even with an increase in hires from 2022 to 2023, while smaller departments continue to struggle with higher rates of resignations and retirements.
To address staffing shortages, many larger departments have started offering incentives such as increased pay and signing bonuses, which smaller departments cannot compete with. Some smaller departments have disbanded, leaving municipalities to rely on state or county assistance for policing. However, even some well-paying large departments are facing challenges in recruiting new hires. Wexler believes that issues beyond monetary compensation, such as support and perception of the job, are influencing recruitment difficulties.
Police agencies are also reevaluating their application requirements and hiring processes to attract more qualified candidates. While some changes, like allowing visible tattoos and expediting background checks, have been deemed reasonable by Wexler, he emphasizes the importance of maintaining training and applicant standards. Maria “Maki” Haberfeld, a department chair at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, cautions against sacrificing professionalism and education standards in favor of boosting officer numbers, stressing the complexity and importance of policing as a profession.
The survey conducted by PERF revealed a significant decrease in officer resignations, with retirements varying based on department size. Large agencies saw fewer retirements in 2023 compared to 2019, while medium departments experienced slightly more retirements and small departments had elevated retirement rates. The improved retention can be attributed to pay and benefit increases, as well as a shift in public officials’ attitudes towards public safety departments. Wexler notes a positive change in public discourse, with leaders now recognizing the impact of officer departures and working towards retention and recruitment strategies.
