Normally I agree with you on most things, GON, but not this time!
The first bolded comment, if true, would negate any debate about a deficit of officers existing anywhere in the U.S. The reality is, at least in this area, police recruit classes since 2020 have seen a consistent decline of about 60% across the board. In some instances classes have been canceled owing to not having the minimum number of recruits as required by certification standards.
Conversely, the fire academies have always had full recruit classes since before 2020.
And it’s not because the police recruiters aren’t answering the phone on nights and weekends.
The second bolded comment; who wants a “decent salary” working a very tough job that involves lots of overtime and undesirable hours? Seriously?
While having to dodge bricks, bottles, ball bats, etc.?
Third bolded comment; LOL!
That sounds like the saying “the beatings will continue until morale improves…..”
You have to have a pool of qualified candidates to begin with. Forget passing the assessment tests and successfully getting through the formal training process. You’ve got to get them in the front door, first. And more importantly, they have to want to be there and do the work you described above.
And it doesn’t involve whipping the recruiters until they produce a quota of bodies.
You first have to recognize why hundreds of officers either quit or retired as soon as they were eligible, thus creating the deficit.
Thrashing the recruiters is akin to giving CPR to someone who is bleeding out due to gunshot wounds to major organs.
DKRYAN, thanks for a thorough, well written reply.
In theory almost all you posted is not debatable. In reality, I have many real life examples that defy logic, but proved unquestionable recruiting success in the most challenging environments. Below please find two of the real life examples.
In 2005, The US Army was failing at achieve its officer recruiting mission (second lieutenants). Not only was the US Army missing its mission, but the DoD increased the Army’s 2LT mission because of OIF/OEF. The (now defunct) US Army Accessions Command had no choice but to significantly raise officer recruiting missions in urban areas. Urban areas almost never made mission, and the US Army made up the shortages in rural areas, and areas in the Southern US.
A top three urban area had not made their 2LT Army Officer mission in over two decades, and Accessions command increased this urban area mission by 40 percent. This urban area couldn’t make mission during peacetime, how can they make mission during wartime- an increased mission.
The right recruiting plan was executed. The urban program met and exceeded its 2LT mission. The program was so successful the program was broken into three. Some of the things that changed- the recruiting officer worked from 0700-1500. His hours were changed to 1200-2200. This not only allowed young men and woman get a “live” voice when they called after coming home from school, but also allowed prospects in the western US get a live voice when they called. One often gets one shot at a prospect- an unanswered phone may be the only time the prospect will call.
The US Army has 32 recruiting battalions across the US. On a MACRO level, US Army recruiting BN CDRs are qualified, but selected well after MTOE and TDA BN commands are filled. Essentially, recruiting BN CDRs are often like NFL draft picks. Highly qualified, and drafted in later rounds- but drafted. It is important to note some recruiting Bn CDRs are the very best in their class- but on a MACRO level are often later drafted than to their deployable BN CDR counterparts.
One US Army recruiting BN finished in the bottom three of the 32 recruiting battalions for decades. Dozens of BN CDRs of decades were not able to increase the ability for the BN to make its enlistment mission. For a change, the Army put a superstar in as its BN CDR.
The results were mind blowing. In under eight months, that bottom 32 BN (often 31 of 32 or 32 of 32) rose to the number two recruiting BN in the US Army. It shows the difference a single leader can make. The environment for military service didn’t change in the region, the leader making a plan, and executing the plan was the difference.
Finally, every day I enjoy going to the Facebook Military Enlistment Processing Centers (MEPS) website, and seeing pictures and videos of young men and women volunteering to serve their country and be part of something bigger them themselves. These awesome young men rarely look like GI Joe. But when they complete Basic Training- they all look like GI Joe, in body and in mind. If you have some time, I encourage you to go to Facebook and search MEPS and view the young men and woman taking the oath
“solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”
And on a funny note, my Son who is a junior enlisted Soldier in the US Army ships to Korea tonight. He takes a commercial aircraft to Seattle (SEA) airport, and then transfers to a chartered and/ or military aircraft. I will be able to see him tonight when he exits the commercial aircraft. Very happy to see him serve his country. Had a recruiter from AUS or SEA PD found him- maybe he would be working in one of those departments.
