Chief of Police NWCSB Board Member Virginia CIT Coalition Board Member Facility Dog walker
My thoughts on small police agency recruitment. Our agency managed 9 years without a vacancy. How can we make smaller agency positions more appealing? Does the quality of life within the agency or the community play a role? My opinion on Small Law Enforcement Agency Advantages/Disadvantages Disadvantages: Fewer Advancement Opportunities: Slower career progression and fewer specialized assignments. Increased Workload: Officers juggle multiple roles, from patrol to admin. Less Backup in Emergencies: Fewer officers mean less immediate support. Limited Specialized Units: Broader duties, fewer specialized teams like SWAT or K9. Advantages: Tight-Knit Community: Stronger bonds with residents and more community impact. Broader Experience: Officers gain diverse skills from varied duties. Close Relationships: A familial atmosphere with colleagues. More Immediate Impact: Individual contributions stand out. Direct Access to Leadership: Better communication with decision-makers. #LawEnforcement #SmallAgencyLife #CommunityPolicing
Patrick A.
2mo
The first thing I recommend is make the hiring process easy and quick. LE is ridiculous when it comes to the process, especially when hiring laterals. Second, accept the role of being a training ground for officers to go elsewhere. Conduct solid, ethical, and needed training then get ready to say goodbye to folks as they seek more money, a busier department, and more opportunities. Those officers will be your future recruiters if you provide them good training and leadership. They will send people to you. Once you have accepted it, then you can concentrate on the folks you have and are staying. Those officers won't leave.
Chris Rinker You’ve highlighted some critical points about small agency recruitment that resonate with many in law enforcement. While the disadvantages, such as limited advancement and increased workload, are real challenges, the advantages of working in a smaller agency can't be overlooked. The stronger community ties, diverse experience, and the familial atmosphere within the agency offer a unique appeal that larger departments may struggle to provide. Quality of life, both within the agency and the surrounding community, is indeed a major factor in recruitment and retention. The opportunity to make a direct, noticeable impact on the community and work closely with leadership fosters a sense of purpose and connection that can be a powerful recruitment tool. I think agencies that emphasize these strengths and promote a supportive, tight-knit culture will continue to attract and retain dedicated officers, despite the challenges.
James Waltrop
2mo
Great perspective Chief. Having come from a smaller agency I agree with your pros and cons. One downside, like in any size department is that if your Chief doesn't support and encourage the officers then there will never be the success of limited turnover, comeraderie, tightly knit community. Those positives rely heavily on a supportive, cohesive department culture. In a small department, negatives can multiply quickly.
Creating visionary and innovative collaborations to achieve project goals and objectives.
2moWhen a person is called to a profession, they have a passion and a drive for what their career will look like. Some are called to policing because they want the high speed, low drag action. Others are called to engage with the community in positive ways to prevent crime. Both of these individuals are needed and each play an importimportant role in keeping the peace. When you have leadership that recognizes both are needed, you have the key to successful retention. When the entire department is trained in crime prevention strategies and creating partnerships and collaboration with the community, the entire city, county, town is safer. Some, many, ALL go into the profession to make a difference. Leadership who puts those people in the places where they are best suited will thrive. It sounds as if you have found that balance. Congratulations! We are working with small towns to achieve the balance through grant funding, training, and accreditation. It is our mission to assist the 85% of law enforcement agencies with 25 men or less achieve these certifications and goals. Small town policing is truly illustrative of true community policing.