Recruiting for Diversity in Law Enforcement: An Evaluation of Practices Used by State and Local Agencies

Perceptions of African American Police Officers on Racial Profiling in Small Agencies

“…This may be particularly so in smaller agencies where their numbers are likely gauged in single and double digits as opposed to the hundreds found working in larger metropolitan and urban areas , thus providing them with little peer support and a lack of social capital. Recruitment, promotion, and retention of African American's as police officers has not been without its problems (Cashmore, 2002;O'Neill & Holdaway, 2007), with various studies indicating that they remain severely underrepresented in agencies on a wide range (Reaves, 2010;Taylor et al, 2009;Wilson, Wilson, Luthar, & Bridges, 2013).…”

Identifying barriers to diversity in law enforcement agencies

“…Skogan (1994) has indicated that the awareness of opportunities to participate in community policing has apparently not been evenly distributed in the population. Consequently it is reasonable to believe that many attempts to attract candidates from specific demographic groups fail due to the targeted audience not being adequately notified that it has been targeted (Wilson, et al, 2013). However, police agencies have not seemed to experience or desire the need for more creative and innovative recruitment strategies, largely due to what might be viewed as 12 an arrogant belief that recruiting candidates for police positions will be an easy task (Gordon, 2004).…”

“…Entities such as the Black church, local chapters of the NAACP, organizations representing the interests of Black police officers, social and fraternal organizations all have been found to have significant insight regarding methods of contacting potential candidates of color (Baer & Singer, 1992;Barnes, 2005;Calhoun-Brown, 1996;Hula & Jackson-Elmore, 2000;LeRoux, 2007;Reid, 1999;Sawyer, 2001;Wilmore, 1994;Wilson, et al, 2013). It then may be the strength of agency outreach to such groups that may spearhead and embolden these targeted candidates to apply (Wilson, et al, 2013).…”

“…Some have considered that the active recruitment for minority police personnel has been conducted only as an afterthought or as the byproduct of efforts to fill positions that have not been set aside for those currently in some form of auxiliary unit of the agency, nepotistic or political intervention, or the reliance on the "old boy network", thus being the equivalent of mere window dressing (Cashmore, 2002;O"Neill & Holdaway, 2007;Wilson, et al, 2013), with others indicating that a lack of recruitment strategic planning, out-of-touch marketing strategies, and inefficient selection processes undermine successful recruiting (Deal, 2008). By its nature, much of policing has been, and apparently will remain, controversial.…”

“…Local branches of the NAACP, Urban League, groups catering to the needs and concerns of minority police officers, and social and fraternal organizations have all played a part in rallying community support for social advocacy, education, civic and social engagement. After family and the Black church, they have been considered among the most important institutions in Black society (Wilson, et al, 2013).…”