The question
Police agencies are experiencing declines in recruit numbers across the country. Some cities are seeing a 90 percent drop in applicants according to an ABC News study published in July 2016. Due to this, many departments have adjusted recruitment standards or marketed their agencies in different ways.
How is the Crestview Police Department stacking up compared to national trends? Has CPD revised its recruitment policies and what does this mean for area residents?
The answer
Crestview Police Department is no different than other agencies across the country in that it’s seen a reduction in recruits according to Chief Tony Taylor. The number of recruits throughout the region, state and country have resulted in departments becoming competitive over attracting talent Taylor said.
Therefore, there is a national push to lower recruitment standards Taylor said. This can mean allowing officers with past criminal records, adjusting age requirements or eliminating some of the hiring processes.
Lowering standards is something Taylor said he won’t do.
“It’s a disservice to our community to hire people that don’t meet our standards,” Taylor said.
The department recently raised its pay rate to be more competitive with other agencies but the job is more than a paycheck according to Taylor. He seeks recruits that are committed to the Crestview community and have a genuine interest in wanting to serve the area he said.
“This isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life,” Taylor said. He believes some of the downward trends have to do with cultural and societal shifts.
Younger generations of recruits are more concerned with what the job will offer them rather than focusing on what they can offer the job Taylor said. This takes away from the community service nature of the job he added.
“People like that come in and expect to be sitting in my chair the next day,” Taylor said. “They don’t realize that’s not what the job is about and it means more than just having an office.”
Taylor seeks recruits that want to be part of “something great,” which is what the CPD works to be. The department is still in rebuild mode according to Taylor. Recent accreditation is only the first step towards his goal to be the envy of other local agencies.
“And we’re well on our way to becoming that,” Taylor said.
However, reducing requirements or standards is nothing to judge other police departments for Taylor said. Different departments have different needs and situations, but this wasn’t an option to consider for CPD, Taylor added.
Where they stand
The CPD has fewer vacancies than neighboring departments despite the decrease in recruit numbers according to Taylor. The department is budgeted by the city to staff 51 officers and currently employs 46. New recruits are being prospected by CPD and about to undergo physical exams.
Hiring a recruit isn’t a quick—or cheap—process Taylor said. Even if a recruit has completed all their required entry training, CPD conducts 10-11 weeks of department training. The entire cost of hiring and training a new recruit is about $30,000 and doesn’t include their pay rate according to Taylor.
The time, cost and community commitment is why Taylor seeks recruits that are “hungry” to serve Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Police shortages: Where does CPD stand?