Police recruiting—and staffing in general—is in a prolonged crisis, as documented by a variety of media sources, surveys, and expert panels. U.S. police agencies are reporting significant decreases in staffing and interest in careers, highlighted by stats such as a 50 percent decrease in applications in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 2019 to 2021, and a recent staffing report showing that San Francisco, California, Police Department is operating at 1,263 personnel vs. a recommended number of 1,528. The sustained decline in interest in the police profession and rising numbers of those leaving may be an outcome of public pressure to change policing, the COVID-19 pandemic, changing demographics, and a host of other factors. It may also be traced to a longer-term change in attitudes toward police careers stemming from the events in Ferguson, Missouri, that sparked national protests against law enforcement.

As the police wrestle with questions about the nature of public safety, discontent remains. Communities largely want the police, but they also want the police to change in meaningful ways. No matter what changes are planned, though, none of them will succeed unless the right people, in the right numbers, are willing to walk through the door and swear an oath to protect the public. This crisis is real, persistent, and worsening. Any solution requires a clear understanding of the current state of recruiting efforts and what the research says about attracting a more diverse workforce. Each of these issues will form a foundation to present considerations for change—changes to enhance recruiting success as the key to changing the police overall.