Baton Rouge, LA. – Governor Jeff Landry signed an executive order declaring a police shortage and State of Emergency across Louisiana. The Louisiana Sheriff’s Association estimates that Louisiana sheriffs’ offices are down approximately 1,800 deputies statewide, resulting in record-low staffing and increased response times.
Police Shortage
“We applaud Governor Landry for highlighting the importance of the law enforcement profession and our state’s desperate need to fill valuable front-line deputy positions,” said Michael Ranatza, Executive Director, Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association.
“As a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy, I understand the vital role our law enforcement officers play in our communities. Currently, our state is facing a shortage of officers, leading to increased crime and reduced public safety. Today’s executive order and the upcoming crime special session will ensure our law enforcement officers are supported, and we can begin to bring law and order back to our state,” said Governor Jeff Landry.
Dr. Travis Yates first spoke out about the recruitment and retention crisis in 2020 with an article titled “America, We Are Leaving.” and explained the situation further to Tucker Carlson at the time.
We reached out to Yates about the situation in Louisiana, and he told us that the issue is much deeper than one state.
“While I applaud Governor Landry for taking this stand, frankly, our profession has had its head in the sand for far too long,” Yates said.
Yates said a combination of factors led him to understand the pending crisis a decade ago, which included the 100,000 cops hired in the 1990’s from the 1994 Crime Bill that were retiring, along with the failure of leaders to defend the profession, but that until recently, few paid attention to what he was saying.
“This (police shortage) should have never gotten to the point it is today, but now that we are here, our leaders need to be on point with the next decision they make,” exclaimed Yates.
While Yates speaks nationally on law enforcement leadership and its role in recruiting and retention, he said there is a serious component that most are ignoring.
The answer by many agencies, according to Yates, is to simply throw money at the issue, telling us that “whether it’s raises, bonuses or fancy websites and videos, none of that is a long-term solution to the issue.”
Yates says there are only two decisions a leader can make if they ever hope to correct this crisis, telling us that we must lead our agencies in the spirit of humility and support for those carrying the badge, and that we must understand what actual police recruiting is.
According to Yates, the profession has never had to recruit, as we traditionally had more applicants than openings, but once that changes, real recruiting will be needed to avoid a police shortage.
Despite the need, Yates said he typically sees an agency paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a website and a video, along with a marketing promise to recruit, but that has never worked for recruiting and never will.
“We aren’t selling anything and our marketing efforts will never compete with the hatred against our profession that is coming from every angle, but recruiting will work,” Yates said.
The problem is that few agencies understand the expertise and detail that go into recruiting.
Yates is not shy when he talks about SAFEGUARD Recruiting. The only recruiting company dedicated solely to first responders, Yates said, the proof is in their success.
This is simple, according to Yates, who has volunteered his time with SAFEGUARD to discuss leadership in their recruiting seminars.
“Call up SAFEGUARD Recruiting and tell them how many applicants you need, and they will send them to you,” Yates exclaimed.
Yates said that SAFEGUARD Recruiting isn’t playing games when it comes to the police shortage across the United States.
“You see these companies that will sell you candidate lists or a bunch of names that have no interest in an agency, and they are stealing. money from agencies,” Yates said.
Yates says that SAFEGUARD Recruiting is different, and that difference is reflected in their success with countless agencies.
Yates is the author of “The Courageous Police Leader” and has filmed a series of training videos on the subject, but he says agencies have been very slow to actually do what it takes, and he is hopeful that Louisiana will take the approach needed.
If you are interested in learning more about recruiting officers, contact SAFEGUARD Recruiting today.
