DOJ PRESS RELEASE

Justice Department Releases Report on Recommendations for Law Enforcement Agencies Facing Recruitment and Retention Challenges

The Justice Department today announced the release of a new publication, Recruitment and Retention for the Modern Law Enforcement Agency. The publication is the result of a convening of law enforcement and community leaders across the country, facilitated by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) and the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), at the request of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. The report presents recommendations to address the challenges in recruitment and retention law enforcement agencies are facing nationwide.

“Law enforcement officers across the country are facing unprecedented challenges at a time when they are already being stretched thin,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Justice Department has produced this report because we recognize the urgency and significance of the recruitment and retention crisis that agencies are encountering. Policing is a noble profession, and we are committed to doing everything we can to support local police departments as they work to serve their communities, build public trust, and keep people safe.”

“Our law enforcement officers are the nation’s most valuable assets for preserving public safety in our communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “The Justice Department is committed to helping state and local law enforcement retain their critically important workforce – while recruiting the next generation of brave public servants. The more than 50 recommendations in this report will help police departments across the country to meaningfully enhance their recruitment and retention.”

“The recruitment and retention crisis is the number one issue I hear about from our state, Tribal, and local law enforcement partners across the country,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The Justice Department knows that hiring and holding onto a highly qualified, committed, and diverse cadre of policing professionals is critical to public safety and police-community trust, and we are committed to working with our partners to address this crisis.”

The report offers a number of recommendations to help meet the current recruitment and retention crisis, including reconsidering officer eligibility requirements to better reflect modern police work; modernizing and accelerating the hiring process; investing in officer health, safety, and wellbeing; and working with community leaders to target recruitment efforts toward diverse candidates and potential recruits who might otherwise not consider law enforcement as a career.

“The challenge of hiring the right officers and keeping them on the force is one of the most difficult issues facing law enforcement agencies across the country,” said Director Hugh T. Clements of the COPS Office. “I know this publication is a resource that law enforcement executives have expressed a need for, and I believe this publication is an important step in meeting the recruitment and retention challenge.”

“As we come up with new and effective strategies to advance community policing and reduce crime, we must address this recruitment and retention crisis with the same vigor and energy,” said Director Karhlton Moore of BJA. “We are dedicated to supporting the infrastructure to hire and retain high quality recruits and officers to keep our communities safe, and this publication will be pivotal in helping us achieve that goal.”

The COPS Office is the federal component of the Justice Department responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. The only Justice Department agency with policing in its name, the COPS Office was established in 1994 and has been the cornerstone of the nation’s crime fighting strategy with grants, a variety of knowledge resource products, and training and technical assistance. Through the years, the COPS Office has become the go-to organization for law enforcement agencies across the country and continues to listen to the field and provide the resources that are needed to reduce crime and build trust between law enforcement and the communities served. Since 1994, the COPS Office has been appropriated more than $20 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to over 13,000 state, local, territorial, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of more than 136,000 officers.

The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance, and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice, assist victims, and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.