NCJ Number
130433
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 18 Issue: 3 Dated: (March 1991) Pages: 36,39-41
Date Published
1991
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Given the changing nature of the U.S. work force, police recruitment procedures must adjust accordingly.
Abstract
Some sociologists predict that by the time the 1990's draw to a close, white men will constitute only 8 percent of the work force. The other 92 percent will be drawn from women, African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and Asian-Americans. New immigrants from Latin America and Asia alone account for more than 14 percent of the Nation's annual population growth. Women workers of all ethnic groups will outnumber men. Given the changing characteristics of the work force, police forces in major cities, where ethnic populations are becoming more and more diverse, use a variety of recruitment methods designed to attract qualified men and women to the police force. In Miami, for example, where there is a large African-American and Hispanic population, advertising on certain radio stations has proven effective. Spot announcements on bilingual stations as well as stations that cater to African-Americans have been effective. Miami's recruitment team also attends various ethnic festivals to answer any questions a potential recruit might have. Recruiters have also participated in school "Career Days." The San Francisco Police Department, prompted by a suit filed on behalf of women and minorities, has established recruitment and retention policies that target minority applicants and officers. Recruitment procedures aim at maintaining the quality of officers hired without eliminating anyone because of factors that are not job-related.