Few organizations understood the law enforcement recruiting issue post 2020, but Law Officer Magazine was quick to reach out to discuss it. Because they are the only major law enforcement media company operated by actual law enforcement, they knew that what they were seeing from companies (and agencies) didn’t seem right. Below is a transcript from an early interview with Doug Larsen, the COO of SAFEGUARD Recruiting.
LO: Speaking on behalf of law enforcement and law enforcement recruiting, I know we are somewhat hesitant when a company hits the scene. Tell us a little about yourself.
SAFEGUARD is a law enforcement recruiting agency, and we are unique in that we were founded by law enforcement. When you say “Law enforcement recruiting agency,” it’s important to know that does not mean that we are a “digital agency” focused on Police Departments. There is a huge difference, and from our conversations thus far with law enforcement agencies, that difference has not been made very clear. We are a recruiting agency focused on increasing the number of recruits for departments.
LO: I want to get to that difference a little later, but tell us how all of this started?
We first met when we started helping companies recruit in the nation’s most difficult market, the trucking industry. Our truck driver recruiting solutions have helped carriers hire the drivers they need from a workforce that is short over 80,000 drivers, and our model has really helped that industry.
Our background in law enforcement, combined with our experience in the trucking industry, really helped us mold solutions that work in law enforcement recruiting. While that may sound odd, the recruiting issues are very similar across both industries, and we had the opportunity to refine our strategies accordingly.
LO: What in your background in law enforcement helps you with SAFEGUARD Recruiting?
The biggest advantage is that we have a very clear understanding of the problem the profession faces, and we speak the same language as our agency clients. We have also acquired some of the biggest experts in digital marketing to come alongside us, and we believe that combination is a powerful force when tackling this problem.
LO: I know we here at Law Officer have been very bold about what we think about SAFEGUARD Recruiting. We believe that SAFEGUARD Recruiting is the answer to law enforcement recruiting issues, and we believe that what you are doing has and will change law enforcement recruiting forever. We’ve spent quite a bit of time getting to know you and your company, but what can you tell our audience about that?
A healthy law enforcement agency is necessary for a healthy community. Over the past couple of decades, we have seen departments across the nation become unable to hire the people they need. Being unable to hire is a threat to a department’s health. Any threat to that health is a threat to the community’s health. If communities everywhere are experiencing the same threat to their health, then the nation is threatened, and that is why we are so committed to this.
We believe America’s safety will remain in danger until law enforcement’s recruiting problems are solved. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen anyone stepping up to truly solve the issue. So we decided to step up.
LO: Speaking of that, you made it a point to tell us that you are a “recruiting agency” and not a “digital agency.” There have certainly been other companies that have surfaced to help law enforcement. Is that why you stand out from the others?
You are correct. SAFEGUARD is a law enforcement recruiting agency. We are NOT a digital marketing agency focused on police departments. We have had to spend considerable time explaining this to agencies because many have tried to solve this issue without success, and they are confused and frustrated because departments are spending money on recruiting, but they are sort of being sold a product that was never designed to solve this issue.
“Departments are being sold CTRs and CPCs, but they’re not hiring COPs.”
– Travis Yates, Author of The Courageous Police Leader
Basically, agencies have been paying for digital marketing, and that is not law enforcement recruiting. They may get more website hits, or pay for a fancy website or law enforcement recruiting videos, but unless that brings in actual recruits, it is not a recruiting campaign.
So we are seeing agencies spending a lot of money, and quite frankly, they are spending too much, and they aren’t getting results. Maybe they get a new website, some quality ‘online’ content, and an advertising campaign, and that’s great. Marketing is important, but if it’s not adding actual recruits, the focus is completely wrong.
Digital marketing agencies do nothing to help recruit. They are great at generating buzz around your department and curating a positive public image; however, at the end of the day, you are left alone to recruit.
LO: So, when you say that you are a “law enforcement recruiting agency,” your main goal is to place new recruits at departments?
SAFEGUARD Recruiting goes beyond generating interest in open positions. We work with departments to implement processes that make people want to work for the agency. Once the department has an offer that meets today’s candidates’ needs, our team will call the potential applicant. Our mission is to figuratively hold the applicant’s hand until they show up for the first day of work. After that day, we work with departments to ensure that officers are retained.
LO: I think that’s what we are excited about. You can recruit full-time for an agency, and you have a mentoring program where you can start that 2, 3, and 5 years out.
Absolutely, it’s not for everyone, but we offer packages where we handle all recruiting for an agency, and we can reach potential hires as they graduate from high school or college, or as they leave other professions, and convince them to join your agency. That is what recruiting is, and we believe law enforcement must adopt these strategies if they are going to be successful.
LO: What Do You Envision for the Future of Law Enforcement
Our vision is a future where officers focus on being officers and recruiters focus on law enforcement recruiting. That is how it works in corporate America. Law firms don’t make their lawyers recruit future employees. Instead, they hire professional recruiters to handle all their hiring. Our goal is to take over the entire hiring process for departments of all sizes across the country. We will be the professionals who handle recruiting so those heroes behind the badge can focus on protecting the people they are sworn to protect.
