The article reports on the study of recruiting and retaining qualified police officers. The study conducted revealed that presently it is difficult to find qualified police applicants and although the applicants would complete successful training, the process of training is extended following the growing complexity of police work (Ashcroft, Daniels and Hart, 2004). Furthermore, retaining the new qualified employees is a worrying trend because many of the new officers continue to leave the agency each year.
Suggestions for the improvement in the identified difficulties include that the police recruiters need to assess the effectiveness of existing recruiting methods and ensure that they are attractive even to the most qualified recruits. Successful strategies include improved benefits and payment, enhancing career development, having retirement incentives and allowing for job changes to suit an officer’s desire and offer satisfaction. The second suggestion is for the recruitment process becoming effective by use of latest technology citing the frequent transformations that characterize the same presently (Ashcroft, Daniels and Hart, 2004).. Furthermore, the use of technology reduces officers’ workload hence leading to the spending less time in the field and enable them come up with new ideas on how to curb crime. The time spend on training can be minimized by setting standards of hiring and screening of applicants for example persons with a college degree will spend less time learning about technology than one from high school. The recruitment agencies should also benefit from funding and grants in order to cater for the growing number employees and activities directed towards crime prevention.
The process of recruitment and retention of employees, to a certain extent also applies to criminal justice agencies in that; training has to take place to ensure the officers are well equipped to handle their jobs and a certain standard is required to ensure the training process is successful though not involving. In addition, officers in criminal justice agencies need to be retained with appealing incentives such as good pay, insurance and retirement benefits.
Reference
Ashcroft, J., Daniels, D.J. and Hart, S.V. (2004). Hiring and Keeping Police Officers. National Institute of Justice. Pg. 1-14. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/202289.pdf on 14/04/2014.
