With police head count flat, Memphis asks consultant to rework recruitment

“This is connected to our overall examination of recruiting and looking at best practices on how we can do that ...”

Alex Smith

City of Memphis head of human resources

The Memphis Police Department has spent years trying to boost its head count. The city of Memphis has spent millions on retention and hiring bonuses.the

city’s recent budget included significant raises for police. A round of retention bonuses is poised to hit paychecks this week.

The department hosts recruitment fairs on a regular basis, including this past weekend.

Despite the effort, its head count is as low as it has been since Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland took office — the department had about 1,900 officers at the end of July, according to the city’s data.

The lagging head count prompted the city to hire Deloitte, the international accounting and consulting firm, to analyze and rework the city’s public safety recruiting, according to public records.

“The city has faced challenges in the talent acquisition process across departments, but especially in Public Safety positions. The city has requested Deloitte’s [assistance] in reviewing current processes and providing recommendations for improving overall hiring volume, hiring speed and overall quality of hire,” the scope of work for Deloitte’s contract said.

The company will be paid at least $590,000 for about three months of work.

Alex Smith, the city’s head of human resources, stopped short of saying Deloitte would overhaul how the city hired police officers

“This is connected to our overall examination of recruiting and looking at best practices on how we can do that and how we can measure it in the best way so we’re bringing in Deloitte, who is a top firm,” Smith said Tuesday.

First Deloitte analysis found overburdened department

This is the second time in recent years that Deloitte has been tasked with analyzing MPD.

The first consulting contract recommended vast changes in how police officers spend their time. Deloitte said the police department was overburdened and stretched thin.

“MPD is struggling to meet the community’s demands for services as a result of a lack of adequate resources, which is exacerbated by record levels of violent crime and the impact of the pandemic,” the audit’s executive summary said. “Increasing efficiency by re-evaluating demand, improving business processes and technology, and enhancing recruiting and career pipelines are foundational elements for the future...”

Smith acknowledged Tuesday that two Deloitte consulting contracts were connected and the first had led to the other.

“They did quite a bit of work in terms of a workforce study looking at how MPD was spending their time, operational efficiencies,” Smith said. “One of the key components related to the work was... the workforce supply component and the importance of us looking at how we can expand our recruiting efforts...to expand the workforce for MPD and available complement.”

City building recruitment center

Memphis hiring Deloitte to work on recruitment comes as it is acquiring land for a recruitment center on Mclean Boulevard.

The city purchased what is now Las Savell Jewelry for $600,000.

Samuel Hardiman covers Memphis city government and politics for The Commercial Appeal or followed on Twitter at @samhardiman.