Police departments across America struggle to retain and recruit officers

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Police departments struggle to retain and recruit officers

Many police departments blame an officer shortage on how the public views law enforcement, because of controversy surrounding police reform and deadly use of force.

LAKE ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Police departments across the country are struggling to retain officers and hire new recruits. A lot of them blame it on how the public views law enforcement, because of controversy surrounding police reform and deadly use of force. 

The Eastern Missouri Police Academy saw around half as many recruits join in 2021 compared to 2020, and that drop-off is continuing. The main concern now is with violent crime rates increasing across the country, there won’t be enough cops to stop the criminals.

22-year-old Joe Marones is months from completing training at the Eastern Missouri Police Academy in Lake St. Louis, Mo. He'll be the first in his family to join law enforcement, but he’s had his doubts.

"Knowing that you might not have a partner to respond fast because of the low number of officers right now at departments is one of my fears," said Marones.

Cropped view of police officer (iStock)

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Marones says he thinks a lot of people have the wrong idea about police.

"A lot of the misconceptions are that police officers are there to just do a certain job and not be on your side, when they’re really there to be for you, and help you, and do good in your community and protect you," said Marones.

The academy Executive Director Dr. Thomas Leasor says recruiting officers has never been this tough.

"When I started as a young police officer in 1990, it wasn’t uncommon to have you know one vacancy and there would be 100 applicants of police officers for one open position," said Leasor.

Nationwide, major cities like Chicago, Nashville, Seattle, and more report their police officer numbers are down. Some are offering bonuses for joining up, but still haven’t seen improvement. 

"This is probably the worst climate for new applicants and those wanting to be police officers that I can remember in nearly 32 years of being in this business," said Leasor.

The National Police Association says the struggle to recruit and retain officers got harder after a Ferguson Police Officer killed Michael Brown in 2014. They also say after George Floyd’s death in 2020, police have been villainized.

In this June 3, 2020, photo, protesters rally Wednesday, June 3, 2020, in Phoenix, demanding that the Phoenix City Council defund the Phoenix Police Department. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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"That has culminated in an extraordinary difficulty to get young people to come to the profession of law enforcement, especially in those cities that are often hardest hit by crime and by police officers leaving the job," said the National Police Association Spokesperson Ret. Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith.

Smith says the community can help fix this problem by speaking up about their support towards law enforcement.

"The American public has got to get loud about this issue," said Smith.

Leasor agrees.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is among the prominent Democrats who have called for defending police departments. 

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"I think officers truly need to know that the public does appreciate the selflessness that they have when they put that badge on to protect a community," said Leasor.

Both Smith and Leasor say voting for politicians who support law enforcement is crucial to fixing this nationwide problem.