When most people make a decision and commitment to become a police officer, we hope they do this out of a sense of service to the people, with righteous goals considered and to which sworn commitments are made. Most want to join the profession to make the world a better, safer place, or because they believe they can make a difference. This perspective is all well and good, provided the officer can adhere to it for the duration of a 25-year career. An increasing number of police recruits today indicate greater interest in what benefits they might derive from public safety employment: greater time off and leave types, cash for specialty pay, overtime opportunities, shift flexibility, and take-home vehicles are several examples of what agencies might offer as attractive incentives.

Certain conditions in American policing have led to a sea-change in recruitment perspectives and attitudes toward “the job.” While the motivation of service to the community remains strong, in many areas recruitment and retention of police officers and support staff has been strongly affected and has suffered. In an effort to improve recruitment, financial incentives have been implemented, and will be covered in depth further in the chapter. Other motivations or incentives for the 21st century recruit might include shift flexibility, time off, having a “take-home” vehicle assigned, opportunities for training, assignment to specialized duty, and access to cutting-edge equipment are often important to the new recruit. Being able to live in an area outside of the department’s jurisdiction (but still close enough to provide timely response) is another example that focuses on the interest in quality-of-life issues for the officer.

Inherent to the fact that the practice of interactive community policing has been in existence for generations, there are inconsistencies to how the elements of community policing are applied, and how they are accepted by the community. This is one explanation behind why some communities’ relationships with their police department flourish, while other police/community relations may vary from neutral to contentious.

An important first step in fostering trust between the police and the community is through the process of recruitment and retention of quality personnel. Hiring highly-qualified, well-vetted personnel who possess the physical and mental fitness, empathy and caring for the jobs in justice is a great start, but requires maintenance through onboard training, strong policy development and adherence, a believable and achievable mission, vision and core values of the department, and fostering an ongoing love for service to people and community. Some call this “stewardship” of public safety. Belief in this value system must be inclusive at all levels–administration, mid-line supervisors and staff, and front-line officers. Quality should be evident at many levels: fitness of staff; personal integrity; cleanliness and organization of equipment and work stations; competence of employees; training that is dynamic and reflective of the duties and responsibilities of the position; and compensation permitting an employee to remain in their current position. An agency career ladder that encourages upward mobility through promotion or transfer/ reassignment to other duties should provide motivation for officers to improve their career opportunities. Administrators should draft, announce and fairly enforce policies, procedures and protocols for carrying out duties, with appropriate praise where earned. Part of the supervisory authority includes stressing responsibility, accountability, and praise for a job well done, as well consequences for negligence, policy violation, or misconduct.

A report, The State of Recruitment: A Crisis for Law Enforcement, published by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP, 2019) surveyed responses from agency representatives from federal, state, local and tribal levels with regard to the challenges facing recruitment and retention of staff (in particular, police). The results included:

• 78% of agencies reported having difficulty recruiting eligible candidates. This is especially true in areas where affluence has created a shortage of affordable housing, as applicants early on may dismiss a recruitment announcement because it is their belief they will not be able to find a rental or price point on a residence that fits into their personal budget (Erickson, 2023; IACP, 2019).
• 65% of agencies reported having too few candidates applying for positions. This finding generates other questions for consideration: are salaries and/or benefits too low? Are good schools for children available? Are there employment opportunities for the spouse or partner in the community? Are the minimum qualifications for applicants or the hiring standards of the agency considered to be either too rigorous, or draconian (Erickson, 2023; IACP, 2019)?
• 75% of the agencies reported that recruiting was more difficult than in the past. More recent reports (Erickson, 2023) indicate that this difficulty in recruiting officers continues. This is evidenced by the competition between agencies to hire lateral transfers (officers who are currently working for other agencies who may be seeking a transfer or relocation due to a host of personal reasons), or to recruit trainees who are currently attending a police academy as a sponsored trainee from another department. Both of these situations are considered “poaching” and often causes discord between local or regional departments. Some agencies have taken their recruitment efforts national, attending recruitment and trade fairs in states hundreds of miles from home in an effort to encourage applicants to come to their agency. They often offer higher pay, enhanced benefits, or the opportunity for participation in specialized duties such as SWAT, K9, School Resources Officer or other adjunct incentivized duty. In the other disciplines of justice, the equivalent might be eligibility for tuition reimbursement, improved medical benefits, expanded number of personal days off, or other similar value-added incentives (IACP, 2019).

As the U.S. navigated the worldwide pandemic and several social challenges relating to police/community relations, the period 2020 through present day has seen impacts upon recruitment and retention of public safety personnel (Police Executive Research Forum [PERF], 2023). Illustrating these impacts are examples such as:

• Individual officer choices in accepting or rejecting state-mandated COVID-19 vaccinations, with some state and local agencies terminating non-compliant officers even in light of religious beliefs, medical grounds, or other bases. In some cases, reasonable accommodations for officers not accepting the vaccinations were stated in policy, but were not always granted.
• What started as peaceful protests in cities of Seattle and Portland, Oregon, soon degenerated into riot conditions, with burning of businesses and vehicles, looting, and actual takeover of sections of city streets in an attempt to create a sovereign space free from enforcement and government intrusion.
• When police attempted to respond to the disorder in the streets, they were, in many cases, subjected to physical assault by radicals in the streets. Political leaders, fearing a major push-back from their constituents, suspended certain police tactical strategies, putting officers at further risk of physical harm. By restricting police responses, the unintended consequences of an uptick in criminal activities that went unaddressed or, in some cases, unpunished, led to fear by residents and business owners. Many business owners shut down operations or moved to new locations away from the epicenter of disruption. The police, in many cases, felt that the politicians had thrown them under the bus, and in doing so were not supportive of the officers.
• When some officers could not tolerate what was happening any longer, they made conscious decisions to leave their employment, retire, or transfer to other locations, seeking a fresh beginning.

Another motivation for quality recruitment and retention strategies would be to address the lack of diversity in the policing workforce. A long-standing stated objective of interactive community policing is that the “police should reflect the community” in terms of demographics. While vast improvements have occurred in the past fifty years, there is still much room for improvement. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the national average for sworn women police officers in city and county police departments is approximately 13.3%, while state police organizations struggle to achieve and maintain half that number, approximately 6% (Starheim, 2019). The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) reports that the 13.3% figure is a significant increase from just 3% in the 1970s (Clary, 2020). The NIJ also reports that a major factor for improving the numbers of women entering policing is that, statistically, they are less likely to use excessive force or instigate a dangerous altercation during patrols. They are also better at de-escalating conflict and communicating with civilians effectively, which goes toward fostering improved officers’ relationship with the community they are serving. In recognizing these statistics, the FBI has joined the 30 X 30 Women in Policing Initiative, which seeks to increase female police recruits to 30% by 2030. When considering police executive levels, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE) is another organization focusing on the unique needs of women seeking executive roles in law enforcement.

When considering the reflection of the community in the police force, one group that faces a tremendous challenge for acceptance in recruitment is the transgender community. According to the U. S. Transgender Survey, statistics reveal that once the police are aware the person is transgender, 58% of the survey respondents reported some form of mistreatment, 49% being repeatedly misgendered, and 6% reported some form of physical or sexual assault (as cited in Kolodziej, 2019). It is suggested that this lack of familiarity or discomfort with communicating and dealing with transgender members leads to difficulty in recruitment, as well as ultimate retention issues. The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department has developed extensive protocols on handling interactions with transgender, intersex, and/or gender non-conforming (TIGN) persons. At the time of this writing, none of the policies of the 25 largest U.S. police departments who were evaluated for 17 critical criteria based on the National Center for Transgender Equality’s common areas of interaction between police and transgender people, received a passing score (Kolodziej, 2019). Clearly, policy development and training in dealing with transgender individuals in a respectful manner are foundational and a good start. It will take a departmental commitment, thorough initial and ongoing training, and accountability to succeed and improve in this area.

Finally, the 2023-2024 Washington State Legislature passed S.B. 6157, which reformed civil service to permit deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) recipients to apply for civil service advantage for bilingual and multilingual applicants, applicants with higher education, and applicants with prior work experience in social services (Civil Service–Competitive Examination Advantage and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Recipients, 2024). This action will allow otherwise qualified candidates to apply for public safety positions in their communities.

HOW CAN RECRUITMENT BE IMPROVED?

It is essential for the recruitment personnel for a department to make a clear, positive and lasting impression to all prospective applicants on their recruitment materials, whether in print form, social media, public service announcements, or even word-of-mouth. Equally important is how the recruitment method is carried out–job fairs, static displays at community events, and even day-to-day service in the community are essential in spreading a consistent, positive message of service mission and values. That said, a prospective applicant may have simple questions in order to personally determine if they have suitability for policing. Many of these questions may be confidential to the applicant, yet may need to be answered ahead of making a personal commitment to apply. Examples of such questions may be:

• I had a minor brush with the law as a juvenile; will that exclude me from consideration?
• I have (one or more of the following): tattoos; earrings; piercings; long fingernails; long hair; a beard; a prosthetic device. Will this hamper my ability to be employed by you as an officer?
• In the past I have used recreational drugs. Am I not suitable for employment by your agency? As a follow-up, if I sold drugs, would that be problematic? I stopped doing these things ___________ ago. Does that help?
• I have bad credit scores. Does this keep me from achieving my dream?
• I have been diagnosed with a particular mental health, which is currently being successfully managed under the care of a medical professional. Can I qualify to be an officer?

As you can see, these questions will require a more personalized, in-depth investigation in order to determine suitability for law enforcement. The answers to each of these questions may be consistent in some areas, or vary according to the department, whether the position being sought is for a sworn or non-sworn officer, if a certain security certification is required, or other factors. It is worth asking the question to someone in the department who has the authority to speak in confidence and with certainty, early in the process. In some cases, the Department’s answer might be as simple as, “You’ll need to keep your tattoos covered from public view when on duty,” or even, “As long as your tattoos aren’t offensive, they may be displayed.” Many times, persons who are deemed unacceptable for a certain law enforcement position can, for whatever reason, be redirected into another area of service that will be satisfying, challenging, and will contribute to the community’s safety well.

In light of the difficulties in recruiting, some 50% of agencies reported having to change their policies to increase the number of qualified candidates (Erickson, 2023; IACP, 2019). Chief among the reasons for policy changes for recruitment were a relaxation of the applicant disqualifiers for use of certain controlled substances. For decades, use and/or possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use carried criminal penalties, stemming back to the days even preceding the so-called “War on Drugs.” When a prospective applicant’s criminal history was checked as part of the hiring process, a conviction for simple possession of marijuana was, for many agencies, an automatic disqualifier. Recent changes leading to the decriminalization of personal-use or medically-prescribed marijuana and, in some recent cases, providing for a process for removal of a prior criminal conviction obtained under previous laws, now will allow otherwise-qualified candidates to apply to be considered for justice positions. It must be noted, however, that the federal government still has laws against marijuana use, possession and distribution, which may exclude applicants for certain jobs in the criminal justice system

Other examples of policy revisions to increase interest in public safety positions for some agencies include expansion of the areas of residency, where an applicant need not necessarily reside in the jurisdiction in which they are employed; the ability to drive a “take-home” vehicle; and adjustments in work-week scheduling, often advocated by labor unions to improve officer safety, encourage increased off-duty time to be spent with family or for personal pleasure; and to keep employees in high-pressure positions refreshed and rested before assuming their next shifts.

The continuing scarcity of qualified applicants for beginning a career in law enforcement has created a trend which has raised the eyebrows of many in the field. This is the practice of offering financial “sign-on” offers (Bureau of Justice Assistance & Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2023). In this example, an agency extends an offer of up to as much as $30,000 (at the time of this writing) to apply for entry-level police positions or to leave their current department to come to work for the hiring agency. This practice is more apt to occur for departments seeking “lateral transfer” candidates–officers who have already been vetted, trained and deemed suitable by their current agency. Hiring such an individual assumes a lesser amount of up-front costs and time investment toward the industry-standard hiring practices and entry training requirements for law enforcement officers. A lateral transfer hire generally has academy training the same, or at least similarly aligned, and may only require a short equivalency curriculum which is generally about 5% of the total academy requirement to bring the officer up to speed with any unfamiliar state laws, new patrol area, departmental policies, etc. The agency who loses an officer to this process? They are left to recruit another officer, having to go through a process, and scheduling officers to cover shift assignments until the replacement officer is hired. One often-neglected concern: the new officer is likely not well-connected with the community nor the neighborhood in which they will be assigned, potentially widening any perceived or existing gaps in the community’s policing.

THE POLICE HIRING PROCESS

It is important to know the process and length of time it takes to recruit and train an officer for patrol duty. The recruitment/hiring process for hiring law enforcement officers is lengthy for very good reasons. Vesting the protection mantle on an officer requires a focus on risk management: for the interests of the agency, the public with whom this officer will interact, the officer’s family, and ultimately, the officer. Examinations are in-depth and focused, and may consider some or all of the following:

• written answers to questions in the application;
• oral interview responses;
• Interviews conducted by references (to include family, friends, co-workers, school teachers, past employers, and others identified through the interview process);
• drug analysis (not required by all agencies in Washington state);
• psychological impressions taken from the hundreds of statements contained in the psychologically-driven review and reinforced by a face-to-face interview with a clinical psychologist;
• performance in a polygraph session; and
• physical fitness assessments.

Successful completion of the above will only allow the officer a chance to open the door to a career in policing. Once inside, if not rejected by this daunting process, the same officer must then dedicate to learning on the job the departmental policies, procedures, protocols, and patrol assignments, all while under the strict tutelage of a senior trainer during field training. Field training may take up to one year to complete, and sometimes more depending upon a variety of factors (PERF, 2022), before the officer is approved to engage the public on their own. When the officer is finally appointed as a Patrol Officer, Deputy Sheriff, State Trooper, Natural Resources Officer (Park Ranger or Fish and Wildlife Agent, for example) or other title, they have entered a realm which is often perceived as dramatic or glamorous by the general public. The officer, often with much fanfare, receives their badge and credentials authorizing them to serve and protect the community. Their work is not limited solely to enforce the state or federal statutes, or promulgated rules in limited authority situations. They are “problem-solvers” who respond to calls for service, and proactively engage in strategies to inclusively assist their communities. They are now authorized to carry specialized tools, drive a polished and recognizable vehicle, acknowledge it is being driven by a law enforcement officer, and finally–and arguably most importantly–they are issued their badge, which is a symbol of public trust and confidence.

A contemporary police hiring process is comprehensive and generally takes several months to complete (Bureau of Justice Assistance, & Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2023). The reason for the long duration is simple: police administrators are seeking top quality candidates who present few, if any, adverse characteristics that would detract from high-performance, low risk police career expectation. For this reason, applicants to sworn police positions should expect the following as part of the hiring process:

• Submit an application for employment. The length of this application varies–hardly ever will it be less than ten pages, and typically, 35-50 pages in length. The written application is often very short, and can actually be used as an intake document for various positions within the agency. The personal history statement (PHS), which comes later, may ask probing questions about a candidate’s background, personal history, past employment history, personal references, etc. This is usually asked for once the candidate has taken and passed a few initial steps in the process such as a written test, physical abilities test, and oral interview. The PHS is usually done concurrently while the applicant is in the background investigation stage. The applicant is wise to research back to find names and addresses of prior places of employment, start and termination date, supervisors, compensation, duties and responsibilities, and reason for leaving, in advance of beginning the police application.
• Perform a physical fitness test. In Washington state, the Physical Abilities Test (PAT) consists of the following (National Testing Network, n.d.):

1. Pushup test– 90 seconds to complete a minimum of 20 pushups to pass.
2. Sit-up test–90 seconds to complete a minimum of 25 sit-ups to pass.
3. Squat-Thrust Test–3 minutes to complete a minimum of 35 squat thrusts to pass.

For some departments, It is not uncommon for other physical testing to include a 1.5 mile run, a 300-meter dash, and a bench press to demonstrate the ability to lift weight to achieve a minimum established percentage of the person’s body weight. Also included in some physical assessments is an evaluation of the applicant’s body fat composition; the applicant’s flexibility through a sit-and-reach stretch; performance of the Illinois Agility Drill (beginning from a pushup position, rising and quickly weaving through a series of cones on an established course); and a standing vertical leap measurement.

All of the above fitness tests have minimum performance standards. Certain departments review some of the measurements using a gender-and-age matrix in order to consider differences between genders and age groups.

Applicants are wise to begin early in preparation for physical fitness testing, and are encouraged to continue to maintain their fitness as a life-long goal.

• Psychological examination. The psychological exam is typically an adaptation of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), and is intended to examine tendencies and characteristics displayed by the applicant that are either considered to be valuable, or detrimental, to a person’s capacity to serve as a law enforcement officer. Originally developed to assist psychologists in patient evaluation, the use of the MMPI has been expanded in police applicant evaluations as a predictor of future behavior (Marshall et al., 2020). This is not a “pass-fail” test, and one cannot study for it. That said, there may be consequences based upon one’s answers which would, in the eyes of hiring officials in police departments, deem an applicant to be psychologically “unfit for service.” The best recommendation is to be honest, and do not attempt to “sell” yourself or embellish your character traits to show you to be in the most positive light. The test results should be administered by a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist, and should be used in tandem with other tests in the hiring process.
• Polygraph examination. Based upon Washington state law: “A polygraph or similar assessment administered by an experienced professional with appropriate training and in compliance with standards established in rules of the [Washington State Criminal Justice Training] commission” (Wash. Rev. Code § 43.101.095, 2001). The use of a polygraph assessment of an applicant measures and records several physiological indicators such as changes in blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, and skin conductivity while a person is asked and answers a series of questions. Prior to the administration of the test, the applicant and the examiner will spend about an hour discussing the process, during which time the examiner will reveal the questions to be asked. The applicant will be asked if the question may have personal implications for them. After this questioning, the test will be administered, with the examiner asking the questions and eliciting a “Yes” or “No” response from the applicant. Experienced and trained examiners can use their professional judgment in evaluating the recorded responses to the questions and providing a highly-reliable conclusion which will be shared with the designated member of the hiring authority. The results will not be shared with the applicant. While a polygraph doesn’t provide 100% accuracy, if used with experienced and trained examiners, the interpreted results are accurate over 90% of the time when properly administered and free of bias (American Polygraph Association, 2023). The polygraph results will be compared to answers on the original job application, the responses during the oral interview, and from the psychological examination to evaluate them for consistency.
• Drug Screening. This step is not an absolute requirement in Washington state, and is sometimes covered in the polygraph phase of testing. Police departments will determine what substances are considered inconsistent for applicants to have used or who are currently using. There may have been questions in the original application for employment which will provide a basis for the evaluation of the applicant in terms of drug use, including whether the use was prescribed, or if the applicant ever manufactured, sold or otherwise delivered drugs to another person. The actual drug screening, conducted by urinalysis, will consist of evaluation of the presence of a minimum of ten panels (types) of selected substances which will be considered incompatible for police officers. In some cases, the applicant may be able to provide information relating to the last time the substance was used, or the circumstances surrounding use, which may be mitigating factors for hiring.
• Credit check. An evaluation of the applicant’s personal credit is important to serve as a potential indicator as to whether, among other things, the applicant may be predisposed to unlawful or unsavory measures to satisfy outstanding debts.
• Social Media check: Applicants are subject under Wash. Rev. Code § 43.101.095 (2001) to provide certain viewing access to their social media platforms. The applicant is not required to provide their usernames and/or passwords to the investigator, but may be required to sign in to them so that the hiring authority may scan them to determine illegal activities, unsavory behavior or inappropriate organizational relationships that might adversely affect the applicant or the department if hired.
• Personal Vehicle check. Some departments will send an officer out to evaluate the applicant’s personal vehicle while the applicant is being engaged in an interview or similar activities. This can be useful to determine how the applicant maintains their vehicle. Does it have controversial bumper stickers on it? A radar detector? Is it well cared for, or is its interior trashed out? All of this can be predictors that will help administrators determine if the applicant is suitable for employment.
• Driving history – a check of infractions, collisions, moving/parking violations.
• Physical examination- hearing test, physical health, etc.

If all goes well with the above, at some point the police agency may make a “conditional offer” of employment. This will typically come at a point prior to conducting a complete psychological examination and/or medical examination. This means there will be qualifiers as to whether or not the applicant can be fully hired and retained, including:

• Passage of the law enforcement academy endorsed by the department.
• Passage of a term of Field Training, which offers on-the-job training in the company of a senior officer, field critique, and continued training in departmental procedures and preferred approaches. The length and duration of the field training is sometimes predetermined, but may be indeterminate in length according to departmental procedures and situational circumstances.

POLICE INTERVIEW SUGGESTIONS

There are several ways to gain a competitive advantage going into a police interview. Here are some suggestions:

1. Prior to the interview, “study” the department for which you are being interviewed. Do your “due diligence”–know the department’s mission, vision, core values and involvement with community engagement. Research the department’s organizational structure-including the names of Chief, Sheriff, etc. Never refer to them casually by their first name; you should address members of the department by their title and last name, such as “Sheriff Brown,” “Chief Jones,” “Lieutenant Davis,” etc.
2. Dress for success. Unless directed otherwise, wear clothing described as “business professional”–a business suit, long-sleeved shirt and tie for men, a 2-piece pantsuit or dress for women as examples. Shoes should be polished, and clothing pressed. You should avoid anything distracting in your appearance, especially thematic jewelry.
3. Pay attention to how you look to others. Having your head and facial hair neatly trimmed is important. Your body language matters-don’t slouch or engage in nervous tapping or drumming with fingers or feet. Your feet should be flat on the floor, and you should be seated upright, exhibiting interest and focus.
4. Smile and maintain eye contact with all members of the oral board. Show enthusiasm.
5. Answer questions affirmatively and confidently by saying “Yes” (not “yeah” or by nodding your head silently), and “No”. Be prepared to defend your answers logically.
6. If asked about why you wish to join the department, do not mention salaries and benefits. Instead, create a confident response about how you wish to contribute to the department’s service mission, your love of the community, and how your research has led you to appreciate the integrity of the department, etc.

Some questions you can expect to be asked during an oral interview are offered below. This does not mean every question shown here will be asked, but there is a strong likelihood that one or more will be included:

1. Why do you want to become a police officer?
2. Why do you wish to join this department?
3. Give the Board an example of a time when you have acted with integrity.
4. What are some examples of “core values” that you believe are important to protection and service to the community?
5. Please provide an example demonstrating your volunteer service to the community.
6. Why do you believe it is an important goal to promote diversity in the police department?
7. How would you approach and deal with a prominent community member if you were called to their home to investigate a domestic dispute in progress?
   1. How would your approach change if this individual was a teenager?
   2. Would your approach change if one of the involved parties is a member of the homeless community? A member of the LGBTQIA+ community?
8. How will you manage rotating shifts (a mix of day shifts, evening shifts, and late shifts?
9. When was the last time you disappointed yourself, and why?
10. Scenario: you are working a major case, where a high degree of confidentiality is required. You receive a call from the City Administrator, calling on behalf of the Mayor, who is asking you to confirm a rumor about some aspect of the case that is circulating. How do you respond?

These are examples of questions that routinely are asked, in an effort to determine your approach to becoming a police officer. Many other questions will likely be asked. Answer them honestly and confidently. Another very good source that is used in Washington state for police hiring is Public Safety Testing. This site is an important intake site for persons seeking police and public safety employment, and it also offers many helpful resources for applicants, including practice tests.

Note. Data from Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024).

HOW CAN RETENTION BE IMPROVED?

Retention of quality, well-trained employees is also a major concern for police administrators. While assuring the officer is well-compensated, the answer to this question is not always as simple as boosting salaries. Here are some examples:

Police Guilds and the officers they represent are frequently involved in negotiations with police administrators to improve compensation and benefits to police employees. Often these gains are translated in the form of educational benefits, extra assignment pay, increased uniform allowances, gym memberships, and similar enhancements. As community living costs such as rent, real estate, taxes, and fuel prices escalate, and off-duty time becomes more valuable to employees, cost of living increases and adjustments to work schedules tend to be a common normative way to address compensation.

More than one high-cost-of-living community in California has built accommodations (Roebuck, 2023) or purchased one or more residences and provided them at a reduced monthly rental cost in order to incentivize an opportunity to work for their agency. Without this radical approach, it may not have been possible to recruit or retain officers for the longer term as their budget couldn’t accommodate the inflated housing cost of the community. This trend has extended to the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere, especially in larger cities or pocket communities where property values and cost of living are high (Nerbovig, 2024).

The City of Kirkland, Washington, working with the Kirkland Police Guild, has undertaken an innovative approach toward retaining officers, while at the same time reducing fossil fuel emissions, thereby advancing sustainability goals for the community environment (Lt. L. Brouelette, personal communication, March 23, 2024). Police administrators, working with city executives, developed a plan to offer their officers who live outside certain selected cities, or ten or more miles from the Kirkland Justice Center, a leased electric vehicle. This vehicle is not equipped with traditional police vehicle systems, licensing or insignias. Many departments allow take-home patrol vehicles, but in a department with many officers, considering the costs of purchasing and outfitting a police vehicle, the cost is becoming prohibitive. In this case, Kirkland Police Officers can use the electric vehicle to commute to and from the police department. Should an officer already own an electric vehicle, and if they choose to use it to commute to work, they will receive a $500 per month “proximity housing premium” instead of the electric vehicle benefit. If an officer lives within the ten-mile limit, or in Kirkland or one of the excluded cities, they will be eligible to receive a $500 per month proximity housing premium instead of the electric vehicle benefit. A qualified vehicle vendor was selected through a competitive bid process. Police administrators believe that this groundbreaking partnership will be, in the long run, a cheaper alternative to options being considered for benefit enhancements, meanwhile reducing noise and pollution (Romero, 2023).

Attributions

1. Figure 7.1: Richmond Police Department Recruits by Eli Christman is released under CC BY 2.0
2. Figure 7.2: Transgender healthcare rally by Victoria Pickering is released under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
3. Figure 7.3: image released under the Pexels License