The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
GOOD HELP HARD TO FIND
Lake, Geauga police working to offset drop in job applicants
Mentor Police Chief Kevin Knight first noticed a troubling trend soon after becoming the department head in 2013.
Only a handful of people responded to the city’s newspaper advertisement for a civil service test to recruit new officers. The notice then was posted on Facebook.
“We really saw a difference in the number of applications coming in,” Knight said. “That’s when we realized we had to go out and market ourselves.”
Since then, the city has developed a recruiting video and other information to share on social media and with area police academies in hope of attracting qualified applicants.
“It’s hard finding good candidates,” Knight said. “I’m not lowering my standards to hire people.”
Other area law enforcement officials report a shrinking pool of potential officers as well and, like Mentor, are working to stem the tide.
The drop
Since 2013, the number of full-time sworn officers in the United States has declined by about 23,000 — one of the biggest dips since the 1990s, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, which conducts the study every four years.
There are now roughly 700,000 officers in the nation, down from 724,000 in
2013. The average number of full-time sworn officers per 1,000 U.S. residents decreased from 2.42 in 1997 to 2.17 in 2016.
Prior to 2013, the number of officers had steadily climbed since 1997, the study says. Most area departments are down at least one officer compared to a decade ago.
Knight notes that only 69 agencies out of more than 15,000 responded to the Bureau’s survey (He didn’t). He also points out that places like Cleveland have seen a population decrease during the study period and increasing staff may not be justified.
“I also think that when the economy went in the Dumpster several years ago, a lot of departments didn’t fill vacant positions and eliminated them through attrition,” he said.
However, no one disputes the drop in suitable applicants.
“We had roughly 40 people show up for the last police test we gave,” in 2018, said Wickliffe Police Lt. Pat Hengst. “By comparison, we used to see double that number — or more — apply for tests in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Perception problem
While there are multiple reasons for the lack of law enforcement candidates, most area officials cite the negative stigma attached to the job nowadays, resulting from high-profile cases of poor police behavior.
The demands of the job itself may deter some, they say.
“Unfortunately, the national narrative has been very critical of policing, and officers are being scrutinized like never before,” Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus said. “Officers are also being confronted by hostile persons more frequently, and violence against officers also seems to be increasing.”
As of Feb. 6, there were 16 officer fatalities in the line of duty so far this year, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. That is up four from the same period in 2018 and half of the 16 were firearms related.
Mentor’s department lost one of its own in June, when Mathew Mazany was struck by an alleged impaired driver while responding backup to a routine traffic stop on Route 2.
Compensation and competition
The stigma often attached to the job isn’t the only reason for fewer police
candidates these days.
A stronger economy creating more private-sector opportunities, pension reform and increased healthcare costs also are considerations, Niehus said.
“Twenty-five years ago, it was generally understood that you would not ever get rich being a police officer,” he said. “However, the promise of a decent pension and benefits made up for it. Moving forward, that may not be the case, as pensions and benefits are being trimmed.”
For smaller departments with leaner budgets, finding worthy candidates can be particularly challenging, he added.
“Smaller agencies just don’t have the resources to recruit or to compensate officers the way larger departments do,” he said. “Law enforcement agencies are definitely competing against each other to attract qualified officers from a much smaller pool of candidates.”
Raising the bar
Passing background checks is another issue for a number of applicants.
The checks often include a polygraph test, criminal and financial histories, and medical and psychological examinations.
“Poor driving records and recent drug use history seem to be the leading disqualifiers of potential candidates,” Willoughby Police Lt. James Schultz said.
In addition, there now are more requirements to take the exam. Willoughby, for example, requires a four-year college degree or a two-year associate’s degree with a police academy certificate.
“When I applied to the city 25 year ago, I only needed to have a valid driver’s license, a high school diploma or GED,” Schultz said. “Twenty-five years ago, agencies completed their physical fitness exams with the written exams. Now most of the local agencies require that applicants complete the physical fitness exam through Cuyahoga Community College and have a certificate in hand. I think most agencies have looked at hiring a more ‘professional’ police officer and this is evident with the above mentioned requirements.”
Reaching out
While some departments are barely getting 20 applicants, Mentor is starting to buck the trend. Last year’s test drew about 140 applicants, and the new marketing program likely has much to do with that.
Along with a recruiting video and flier distribution, the department sends officers to speak at area colleges, such as Baldwin
Wallace, the University of Toledo and the University of Akron.
“It’s extremely important to market yourself today to the demographic you are looking for,” Knight said. “The age group we are looking for doesn’t read a newspaper. We have to push our information out onto social media in order to attract the right demographic.”
Other departments are following suit, increasing their social media presence, and recruiting at local academies and job fairs.
Mentor also doesn’t require new hires to have attended the police academy and will pay their way through the program. Willoughby is considering sponsoring candidates to attend the academy as well, Schultz said.
Painesville Police Chief Dan Waterman said his department endeavors to offer what research shows police candidates seek from employment. That includes providing an organization they can be proud of, that allows promotion based on productivity, and one that supports them in their personal, educational and professional pursuits, as well as financially.
“We have worked hard at making these things a reality for those candidates that come here, and we think that continuing on that track is what will allow us to continue attracting high-quality candidates to our agency,” he said.
Answering the call
Mentor recently swore in new officers and is looking for more. Another civil service test will be offered 6 p.m., Feb. 28 at city hall. Starting wage is nearly $59,000.
Among those who have been hired, one finds various reasons for choosing the vocation.
Jacob Jones, 21, of Willoughby said it’s about helping people.
“It’s not always about crime,” he said.
Alec Berkheimer, 22, of Mentor indicated that the job takes dedication from Day One.
“I think a lot of people don’t want to go through the process if their heart’s not really into it, because it’s a long process to get hired,” he said.
Victoria Hahn, 28, of Cleveland comes to Mentor from Cleveland Police Department, where she worked more than two years. She was won over, in part, by the recruiting video.
“I really enjoy community policing and I think Mentor has a great community-police relationship,” she said.