The problem with law enforcement recruiting and overall police recruiting strategy has been well documented in recent years, and it’s been easy to blame the rhetoric and the politics of “defund the police. We first heard about a new way of recruiting after reading “The Courageous Police Leader” last year, and after speaking to the author at length, we set out to find a company that could mirror his sentiments.
Author and Trainer Travis Yates told us that it has become far too easy to blame others for law enforcement’s recruiting woes. More than a decade ago, he identified several shortfalls in law enforcement’s recruitment practices, and after speaking with business leaders in other industries, he predicted that this day would come. The problem, as Yates said, was that “no one was listening.”
The recruiting problem has now become a crisis in America, and it is not just a 2020 problem. It will continue to be a problem unless law enforcement changes the way they actually recruit. Frankly, we had given up on the idea that anyone would move in that direction despite the obvious signs.
Then we discovered SAFEGUARD Recruiting.
Police Recruiting Strategy In Action
SAFEGUARD Recruiting is not a paid advertiser, but it is one of the few companies we have not only endorsed, but also actively told others about, because we know it is the answer.
We recently interviewed Doug Larsen, the president of SAFEGUARD Recruiting. Larsen is a retired police officer after more than two decades of service. He first saw the success in his unique recruiting strategy in the trucking industry. They are facing similar recruiting problems that have significantly impacted the supply chain, and Larsen assembled a team of technology experts, along with those who knew the trucking business and had tremendous success.
SAFEGUARD Recruiting is the philosophy that he has applied to law enforcement and other first responder agencies.
That police recruiting strategy is two-fold. First, Larsen and his team build an online campaign and target candidates that the department desires. This can be done in specific areas of the country and targeted to the exact profile the agency wants. Online advertising is not new, and there are a ton of general advertising companies breaking into law enforcement recruiting, but SAFEGUARD thrives on staying ahead of the algorithms while leveraging its law enforcement expertise. More importantly, they are here to stay rather than an advertising company that may specialize in one area but is entering law enforcement on a temporary basis.
SAFEGUARD Recruiting is a law enforcement recruiting agency built and maintained by law enforcement.
The second part of Larsen’s ideology is both brilliant and impactful. While most agencies wait until they need recruits to start a campaign, which takes significant time and energy, SAFEGUARD Recruiting offers a mentorship program that uses the same technology to find immediate recruits and targets potential candidates who may be years away from becoming a police officer.
Larsen, a huge sports fan, describes it as a similar model to college athletics.
“It is not unusual to see the top high school athletes contacted by major schools when they are fourteen or fifteen years old and that is done to simply build a relationship with a candidate through a long period of time so that when the time comes for their decision on a college, it is that relationship that just may make the difference,” Larsen told us.
While SAFEGUARD Recruiting thrives in finding immediate candidates, Larsen knows that to fix a long-term problem, a long-term solution is needed for any police recruiting strategy.
“We know this works,” Larsen said. “Why let a high school or college kid search on their own for information when the agency can send them everything they need along the way,” says Larsen.
While agencies can simply be given e-mail and phone contact information for these potential candidates, SAFEGUARD Recruiting can do the work for them, which is why we believe this is a game-changer in law enforcement recruiting and police recruiting strategy.
Imagine a targeted online campaign for 18-year-olds interested in law enforcement in a specific part of the country where the agency wants to recruit. SAFEGUARD collects those contacts through its technology and then partitions that group for a specific agency. Once a month, the candidate receives a pre-built e-mail or text, using proven marketing strategies, that places the agency in front of them each time.
As the candidate approaches eligibility, the police recruiting strategy shifts from relationship to recruiting.
Larsen describes a series of informational e-mails outlining why the agency should be considered, highlighting everything it has to offer. As the candidate gets closer to eligibility, they will start receiving tips on how to succeed in testing, including fitness plans and other resources.
You can find out a lot more on their website, and we encourage you to contact them. While the cost varies depending on the agency’s needs, we are certain that any cost is worth the cost of great candidates and a fully staffed department.
Want to find out if your police recruiting strategy is ready for success? Contact SAFEGUARD Recruiting today.
