All industry sectors are facing significant HR challenges around the demographics of an aging workforce and access to the best and brightest of the available candidate pool. This increases the challenges facing the Police Sector where organizations have typically relied on passive approaches to recruitment as they have traditionally had a large group of applicants to select from. Now the policing community is faced with its own aging workforce, a new and more demanding work environment, and an applicant pool who is not considering policing as a career option (IPSOS Reid survey of youth views on careers in policing).

Add to this the particular challenges of recruiting to a policing career; one that has extensive and changing demands for service, requires increasingly high skills and knowledge in new technology, service delivery and emerging types of crime, is perceived to be dangerous, is physically demanding and requires an exceptionally high moral and ethical standard. For the policing sector to continue to deliver quality services to the Canadian community at large, careful recruitment strategies must be developed to inform, entice and ultimately select the best and brightest candidates. Of particular interest is ensuring that police forces are representative of the population in terms of gender, and culture. This section includes articles, research, and tools relevant to Recruitment and Retention.


Articles

Recruitment & Retention News. The Police Sector Council conducts media monitoring to collect articles on recruitment and retention issues relevant to policing from Canadian and International newspapers, magazines, and news wires.

Diversity recruiting is about getting candidates on equal footing, Syd Gravel, Canadian HR Reporter Vol. 18 No. 17, Oct. 10, 2005 (S. Sergeant Syd Gravel is a recruiter with the Ottawa Police Service).
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Ottawa cops pursuing diversity, Uyen Vu, Canadian HR Reporter, April 25, 2005.
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They are your future: attracting and retaining Generation Y, Canadian HR Reporter
Vol. 18 No. , Apr. 25, 2005.

Do experience and skills transfer across sectors, James Parr, Canadian HR Reporter
Vol. 18 No. 20, Nov. 21, 2005.

Lights, camera, recruitment, Shannon Klie, Canadian HR Reporter Vol. 18 No. 22, Dec. 19, 2005.

It’s 2008: Do you know where your talent is? Why acquisition and retention strategies don’t work, Deloitte Research, 2002.
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Research

Reconnecting Government with Youth 2005, IPSOS -Reid and Police Sector Council 2005.
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Strategic Human Resources Analysis of Public Policing in Canada, Police Sector Council 2001.
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Policing Environment Scan 2005, Police Sector Council.
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Facts and Figures: Immigration Overview-Permanent and Temporary Residents. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has released its annual publication on immigration data. This online report is important for the policing community as immigration is a critical means through which labour shortages of the near future can be addressed.
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Hiring and Keeping Police Officers,
National Institute of Justice, USA, 2004
The National Institute of Justice has prepared a report on its recruitment and retention study findings.
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Diversity in Policing: Recruiting a Police Service that reflects the community – Ottawa Police Service.
The Ottawa Police Service hosted a community forum to seek input on improving diversity in their recruiting process. Participants included members from the following groups: racial minorities, Aboriginals, gays, and women. The forum identified current barriers and resulted in the creation of strategies to promote diversity within the OPS.
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Best Practices: Addressing Diversity in Police Outreach and Recruitment Programs – Ottawa Police Service, 2003. This report presents the findings of research conducted by OPS on best practices on outreach and recruitment programs targeting the objective of creating a diverse workforce in a Police Service organization. A scan of what might have worked in North America, Great Britain, and Australia in reaching out to hire: women, GLBT community members, and racial/ethnic minorities as police officers.
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Tools

The Police Sector Council has created two unique tools to help Police Organizations across Canada address their Recruitment needs. The first is the Hiring Centre - a generic youth recruitment website that is designed to entice and inform Canadians about careers in policing. The second is a detailed description of the essential elements of creating an effective recruitment site. This information can be used to guide the recruitment website development process for any Canadian Police organization.
Hiring Centre
Guide to Building Recruitment Websites

Workforce Census - Ottawa Police Service
The Ottawa Police Service has conducted a Workforce Census. The reports and tools associated with the Census are presented:
2005 Workforce Census
Show Me WHO
FAQs

Aboriginal Job Development - Edmonton Police Service
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Guide to Building Recruitment Websites

This section presents a list of the essential elements for an effective Web based recruitment site.

To inform this section, a review of the current practices in Web recruiting was conducted for police services both within Canada and around the world. The best practices were consolidated to create a template for all police organizations to review. This template can be used to guide the development of new recruiting websites or can be used to gauge the effectiveness of an organization’s current recruiting website and support any redesign work.

Police Organizations are facing recruiting challenges due to a shrinking demographic youth cohort and a declining interest in policing as a career. Web recruitment sites need to be the best that they can be with information that is presented to engage and excite the interest of those youth who visit the site.

The Necessary Elements
Criteria for an Effective Site
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Necessary Elements

Any effective recruitment web site needs to provide enough information for viewers to gain a thorough understanding of the world of policing in terms of the job, a career, its benefits, and rewards. The information should be persuasive but realistic to ensure the right expectations are set. The site should also detail all recruitment information related to selection and training.

Every aspect of the selection requirements should be outlined including basic and preferred requirements. The selection process should be explained in full, with a description for each step including costs, standards or preparation ideas. The training process should be clearly outlined by explaining the types of training given to recruits and the locations, duration, and costs associated with each. The site should also guide candidates through a decision process to ensure only those qualified and suited are taking the next step of applying.

A direct method for registering or applying should be provided (e.g., downloadable registration forms). All information should be up to date and a contact person should be identified. This section presents an outline of all of the necessary elements for a policing recruitment website.

Information about the Police Organization
• Background Information (history of organization)
• Infrastructure
• Traditions
• Areas of service excellence
• Mission and value statements

Persuasive information about a career as a police officer
• Overview
• Highlight activities and different jobs
• Career
• Training
• Camaraderie
• Profiles of Police Officers

Benefits and Rewards
• Salary
• Benefits
• On going training
• Satisfaction: professional and personal

Requirements
• Basic Requirements
• Preferred Qualifications
• Required Documentation

Information Sessions
• Provide an overview of what will be presented at the session
• Provide Dates, Locations, and Start and End Times for your sessions
• Identify any information that should be reviewed before candidates attend
• Identify what they should bring if anything
• Ask candidates to document any questions or concerns prior to the session so that they don’t
  forget all that needs to be addressed at the session

Registration
• Describe forms to be completed
• Identify the documents that are required (e.g., birth certificate)
• Outline timelines and costs
• Identify how to register – download forms online, pickup forms at information session,
  call to receive a registration package.

Written Exams
• Describe the exam
• Provide samples
• Describe preparation work if applicable

Physical Test
• Describe the test
• Identify where it will be given
• Outline costs if any
• Describe what can be done to prepare

Vision and Hearing Tests
• Outline requirements
• Define the rules for those who use corrective eyewear
• Define the rules for those considering laser eye surgery
• Describe who is to administer test
• Pretest instructions (e.g., don’t wear any corrective lenses 24hrs prior to testing)

Application Submission
• Describe the forms to be completed and where they are obtained
• Identify the documents to be provided
• Outline costs if any

Interviews
• Describe the types of interviews to be conducted
• Who will be conducting them
• Scoring, if applicable
• Describe how to prepare

Polygraph Test
• Describe the test
• Who will be conducting them
• Describe how to prepare

Background Investigation
• Describe what will be investigated

Psychological Testing
• Describe the testing
• Outline the purpose of the testing
• Identify who will be conducting the testing
• Describe how to prepare
• Describe what will be done with the results (will candidates be given the results)

Medical Tests
• Describe
• Identify who will be conducting the tests

Selection Decision
• Who makes the decision
• How it is made
• How candidates will be informed
• Rank upon hiring (e.g., Cadet)
• Salary upon hiring
• Next steps

Training Process
• Academy Training ( location, number of weeks, content, costs)
• Field Training work with Field Coach/Field Training Officer (number of weeks)
• Advanced Academy Training (if any)
• Graduation
• Hiring Decision process
• Rank and Salary upon completion of Training

Policing Career
• Describe expectations for a policing career
• Posting information
• On-going support
• On-going training
• On-going evaluation

Is a Policing Career Right for You?
• Guide candidates to do an Information Review of the job of police officer, a policing career,
  the lifestyle (travel, shift-work), salary, training, and investment (costs and time) associated
  with applying.
• Provide a Self Assessment Checklist (a questionnaire or checklists that candidates fill out to
  help them determine if they are well suited for a policing career)
• Guide candidates to review requirements to ensure they qualify, update skills if necessary

Apply Today
• Identify current Information Sessions – dates, times, locations, how to register
• Describe Registration process – what forms are needed, what other documents are needed
• Present the Registration forms and identify how/where to submit them
• Present Contact Information – name and phone number for recruitment officer who can
  answer questions.

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Criteria for an Effective Site

Not only should the site provide extensive information about policing and the selection and training processes, it should do so in a way that is persuasive to the targeted market e.g., youth.

Know your target audience
1. Your site should have the look and feel that appeals to your target audience. Design your site
    according to their taste. Use of colours, pictures, effects, and layout can have an impact on
    your message.
2. Use images and match them to your target message. If you are showcasing Policing as exciting,
    important, physically challenging, a job with lots of variety and opportunity then create a website
    with graphics that tell that story. A website that presents the information in a Word document
    style format (black typeface on white background) will not be as convincing or as enticing as a
    site that presents the same information with corresponding pictures that showcase Police
    Officers chasing, biking, rope climbing, and riding in helicopters.
3. The information presented within your site should be written to engage your target audience.
    Use positively keyed descriptions, questionnaires and statements to get them excited about a
    job in Policing.
4. Address the issues and concerns of your target audience. Weave in a means to address
    concerns in a positive way. The use of Police Profiles can work well. Have an officer describe in
    his/her own words how concerns were overcome. For example, use the picture of a female
    officer with the following caption: “… before becoming a police officer I was unsure of my
    physical skills, but the training I received at the Academy gave me the confidence, the know
    how and the skills to meet every situation head on.”
5. Speak to the interests of your target audience to generate enthusiasm. The use of Police
    Profiles can work well to showcase different interests for different groups. Young men are more
    interested in policing for the excitement and challenge and young women are more interested
    in being of service and supporting their community (IPSOS Reid, 2005). Older candidates may
    be more focused on advancement opportunities and professional development, showcasing
    policing as a career not just a job would be beneficial.

Well designed site is easy to navigate
1. Create a site that is well laid out. Think about how the information should flow to make sens
    to a newcomer.

Informative but not overdone
1. It is important that all of the required information is presented but overviews using bullets and
    concise messages will ensure viewers are not overwhelmed with too many details.

Update as required
1. Information session information will require updating on a scheduled basis. Ensure that
    anything else that is time sensitive is updated so no one is inundated with phone calls
    for clarification.

Provide Contact information
1. A contact name and phone number for a recruitment officer should be provided for those who
    have questions.

Must have a prominent visual presence on the Police Organization’s main site
1. Make it easy for visitors of the main site to access recruitment information. Users should not
    have to search endlessly for the means to access career information. If the issue is central to
    the organization, make the link central to the homepage. A large graphic that is displayed front
    and center on the main website will be easy to find.
2. Entice visitors with a graphic or message appropriate to the target market. Using a button that
    says Recruitment isn’t as interesting as using a picture of a police officer with a caption “ready
    to try it - we’re hiring”

Develop a unique catch phrase
1. Developing a catch phrase is a great way to differentiate your organization from others, get the
     attention of your target market and unify your recruitment site. Here are some examples:
    1. “Recruit Training. Are You Up For It?”, Calgary Police Service
    2. “Make a Difference Every Day”, Vancouver Police Department
    3. “Join The Team”, LAPD
    4. “Change your world today”, Edmonton Police Service
    5. “Make A Difference. Start Today.”, RCMP

Create a Video
1. Develop a video that can be viewed from the website. A 5 min video targeting your message
    and showcasing your organization can be a valuable tool. Police Organization that have done so:
    Vancouver, LAPD
2. Develop Video Police Profiles – officer in uniform talking about how they love their job
    (i.e., Calgary Police Service)

Create a way to identify the viewer so that you can target your information
1. High school student
2. University student/ college student
3. Parent
4. Guidance Counselor or Educator
5. Military Personnel
6. Worker looking for a career change

Sign up for an E-newsletter that updates information session dates and times
1. Create a recruitment newsletter that includes a persuasive piece followed by information
    updates sent periodically – every month. Change the information sent. Theme ideas:
    1. Policing: A way to make a difference in your community
    2. Policing: Become part of a Team
    3. Policing: So many different opportunities
    4. Policing: An exciting job
    5. Policing: Train with the best
    6. Policing: Great salary and benefits
    7. Policing: Outside the ordinary
    8. Policing: Training included
    9. Policing: A career that lets you grow (advance)

Include a description of a typical day in the life of police officers
Create a description with pictures or a video to depict a typical day for police officers. Depicting the day from start to finish for police officers on patrol duty would best represent the life of a new recruit. The depiction can showcase a partnered pair of officers (one male and one female) to illustrate the teamwork and camaraderie involved in policing. (e.g., Vancouver Police Department and LAPD).

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