Strategies for Improving Officer Recruitment in the San Diego Police Department

by Ridgeway, Greg; Lim, Nelson; Gifford, Brian; Koper, Christopher; Matthies, Carl

• ISBN13: 9780833045171
• ISBN10: 0833045172
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-12-25
• Publisher: RAND Corporation

Summary

"In policing, achievement of recruiting goals means more than just solving a human-resource problem. It means the adequate provision of public safety to residents, workers, businesses, and visitors. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) has been operating below its authorized size in recent years. To bridge its personnel gap, the department needs to maximize its recruiting while minimizing officer attrition. To accomplish this goal, the department sought assistance from RAND to improve its recruiting efforts and suggest ways to improve the diversity of its recruits. Specifically, SDPD can optimize the recruiting process and manage recruiters and resources to achieve the maximum number of recruits. Through interviews, observations, reviewing recruiting material, and analyzing data, the authors assessed strategies for expanding SDPD's applicant pool, evaluated the written-test process, and reviewed fitness-exam and background-check processes. As a result, they have specific recommendations to improve SDPD's recruiting efforts: (1) target recruiting resources more effectively to reach a broader pool of applicants, (2) improve efficiency in the screening process, and (3) revise recruiting and testing practices. This monograph describes the study and the recommendations."--BOOK JACKET.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. iii
Figures	p. xi
Tables	p. xiii
Summary	p. xv
Abbreviations	p. xxix
Introduction	p. 1
State of SDPD Recruiting	p. 2
Conceptual Framework	p. 3
Focus of Our Analysis	p. 6
Organization of This Monograph	p. 7
Excellence in Police Recruitment and Hiring	p. 9
Introduction	p. 9
Lessons from Military-Recruiting Research	p. 11
Recruitment and Marketing Efforts	p. 15
New Developments in Marketing and Recruitment	p. 16
Officer Selection	p. 19
New Developments in Officer Selection	p. 20
Other Organizational Policies and Practices Affecting Recruitment and Hiring	p. 22
Characteristics of Police Recruits	p. 25
Characteristics, Motivations, and Experiences of Recruits	p. 25
Characteristics, Motivations, and Experiences of Those Less Likely to Become Police Officers	p. 26
Implications for Improving Recruitment and Hiring	p. 29
Summary	p. 31
Applicants' Motivations for a Law-Enforcement Career and SDPD Employment	p. 35
Introduction	p. 35
Survey Research Design	p. 35
Reasons for a Career in Law Enforcement	p. 38
The Decision to Apply with SDPD	p. 39
Military Experience	p. 41
Summary	p. 43
SDPD's Internet Presence	p. 45
Introduction	p. 45
Research Approach	p. 45
Results	p. 47
Navigational Ease	p. 47
Quality of Information	p. 54
Aesthetic Value	p. 59
Summary	p. 62
Targeting Recruitment Activities Outside the San Diego Area	p. 63
Introduction	p. 63
Infrequency of Extralocal Migration	p. 63
Financial Attractiveness of SDPD Nationally	p. 67
Targeted Recruiting in Criminal-Justice Programs	p. 72
Summary	p. 76
Recruiter Management	p. 79
Elements of a Recruiter-Management System	p. 80
Recruiting Goals Should Drive Recruiters' Behaviors	p. 81
Optimal Assignments Match Recruiters with Targeted Applicant Pools	p. 82
Recruiter Incentives Encourage Optimal Performance of Recruiters	p. 82
Summary	p. 83
Overview of SDPD's Application Process	p. 85
Introduction	p. 85
Application Process	p. 85
Analysis of the Screening Process	p. 88
Demographics of SDPD Applicants	p. 88
Post-Written Test Outcomes	p. 90
Analysis of the Background-Investigation Sergeants	p. 91
Detectives' Decisions	p. 93
Hirability of Written-Test Takers	p. 99
Summary	p. 99
The Written Exam	p. 101
Introduction	p. 101
Importance of the Exam	p. 101
Content of the Exam	p. 102
Analysis of Test Items	p. 106
The Pass Point	p. 107
Summary	p. 110
Recommendations and Conclusions	p. 111
Target Recruiting Appeals to a Broader Range of Applicants	p. 111
Produce Marketing Materials That Highlight the Benefits of Law-Enforcement Careers and SDPD in Particular	p. 111
Modernize the SDPD Recruiting Web Site	p. 112
Focus Recruiting Efforts Close to San Diego and Carefully Selected Sites Nationally	p. 113
Use SDPD's Internal Labor as a Pool of Candidates	p. 113
Offer Cash Incentives for Officers Referring New Applicants and Recruits	p. 114
Improve Efficiency in the Screening Process	p. 115
Provide an Online Sample Test	p. 115
Allow Other Standardized Tests to Substitute for SDPD's Written Test	p. 115
Conduct a Pilot Study to Find an Optimal Pass Point for the Written Test	p. 116
Analyze the Written Test for Problematic Questions	p. 117
Petition Post to Create a Written Examination Process That Meets San Diego's Police Testing Needs	p. 118
Strengthen Its Recruiting Workforce and Practices	p. 118
Establish a Stable Recruiting Budget	p. 118
Turn Written-Test Sessions into Marketing Events	p. 119
Applicants Who Drop Themselves from the Recruiting Process Should Be Redirected to Recruiters	p. 120
Establish a Formal Incentive System for Recruiters	p. 120
Develop a Succession Plan for Subsequent Recruiting Teams	p. 121
Conclusions	p. 121
References	p. 123
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