If your public safety agency has a recruiting website that looks good but doesn’t deliver candidates, you’re not alone. Across the country, agencies are investing in web design, video production, and flashy branding only to discover that almost no one is applying.
That’s not a design problem. It’s a conversion problem.
At SAFEGUARD Recruiting, we’ve seen it firsthand. One department had a beautiful site that generated just two candidate leads in two years. After we made a few targeted changes, that same site now converts 25–30 leads per month, without spending a dollar more on ads.
The difference? Optimization.
Here’s how to turn your website from a digital brochure into a high-performing recruiting tool:
1. Focus Every Page on a Single Outcome
Your site should drive one clear action: get visitors to leave their information. That means stripping away distractions. No news feeds, no general department blurbs, no buried application links.
Ask yourself: if a candidate lands on your homepage, where do they go next? If the answer isn’t obvious, they’re leaving.
Use buttons like “Apply Now”, “Download Hiring Guide”, or “Join Our Team”— and put them front and center.
2. Add a Lead Magnet
A lead magnet gives visitors a reason to share their info. This could be:
-
A salary and benefits guide
-
A PDF about your hiring process
-
Early access to an information session
-
A short video featuring officer testimonials
The key is value exchange. Don’t just say “contact us”—show them what they’ll get when they do.
3. Simplify Navigation
Candidates are busy. Most are browsing on their phone. Don’t bury your content under dropdown menus and multi-page links. Navigation should be fast and mobile-friendly.
Rule of thumb: Visitors should be able to submit their info in two clicks or less. Anything longer, and you’re losing them.
4. Show Your Culture, Not Just the Job
Recruiting is emotional. People want to feel connected to your agency. Use real photos. Feature short quotes from your team. Highlight community involvement, team camaraderie, and career growth.
You’re not just hiring first responders, you’re inviting people into a profession and a family. Let the website reflect that.
5. Connect the Site to Your ATS
Collecting candidate information is great but not if it’s sitting in someone’s inbox or a spreadsheet. Integrate your website directly with your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) so every lead flows into your recruiting workflow.
Our clients use our specialized software built for first responders, SAFEGUARD Connect, and they have seen a dramatic increase in hires.
The Bottom Line
A pretty website that doesn’t convert is like a storefront with no door. You don’t need to rebuild from scratch but you do need to optimize.
Real results are possible. Just ask the Asheville Police Department.
We took them from averaging one lead per year to 25-30 every month!
