INSIGHTS
QWith the recent increase in police turnover agencies are experiencing , what strategies do you recommend for agencies to reduce the rate of attrition ?
Chief James Morgan Jackson Police Department
The problem of retention and rate of attrition of police officers in departments across the United States is well documented . The adoption of community policing has broadened the duties of police agencies . It has increased the number of functions police undertake , especially in departments with larger jurisdictions . Many law enforcement agencies have difficulty not only identifying and hiring qualified candidates but retaining them as well . There are several reason officers leave an agency to take a job at another agency .
The attrition rate simply signifies a reduction in workforce for several reason . The reductions could be due to retirement , death , or resignation . Since attrition rate is the overall reduction of workforce , it usually does not include situations where job
vacancy is created and then filled . A high attrition rate could be a red flag for your human resources department and indicate the need for policy changes - or it could be a result of dwindling aspects such as low pay , working conditions and poor
32 SUMMER . 2021 management . Exit interviews are conducted by some agencies when an employee voluntarily resigns . This provides feedback to the agency and allows for continuous improvement of experiences for every employer . Your attrition rate is somewhat different than your turnover because it indicates the overall reduction of workforce and does not account for the positions vacated and then filled with new employees .
Any lost employee should be included in your average turnover . As an example , if three officers resign during a specific period and two others were fired , you lost five employees . You should note the circumstances of each loss . If many employees resign , that may indicate a problem with the work environment . If more employees are terminated , that could indicate a weakness in the hiring or training process .
To aid in today ’ s time of elevating high attrition rate in law enforcement , agency heads and command staffs must reexamine their ways of doing business . Let ’ s face it , traditional ways have failed the law enforcement profession and new strategies must be implemented to create ways to retain officers . There is little that local police agencies can do to limit the scope of their work and the resulting demand for officers . There are some practices and strategies they can adopt to improve the recruitment and retention and , hence , their ability to meet the demands for services .
First , planning and analysis ( including analysis of demographic trends ), as well as surveys and interviews with officers about job satisfaction , can help agencies understand their prospects for attracting and retaining officers . Specific training can and should be identified to provide proper training for officers needs and wants .
Second , agencies can reduce turnover by offering realistic job previews to candidates and requiring contracts with new employees . Also provide clear expectations of their officers .
Third , agencies can attract and retain candidates by enhancing compensation and other benefits . As we know , the most common reason most officers leave one agency for another is because of low pay . We have worked hard to establish a great communication conduit between Chief and Mayor , Council , City Manager and Human