Staffing The Mission Podcast by Safeguard Recruiting

At the 2026 PLECET Conference, Safeguard Recruiting participated as an industry expert in law enforcement recruiting, alongside Maureen Q. McGough, 30x30 co-founder, and Dr. Joseph Schafer. In this episode, Travis Yates discusses the conference, the training, and the big takeaway after speaking with hundreds of law enforcement agencies.

On the 5-year anniversary of Safeguard Recruiting, Doug Larsen breaks down the journey of retiring from law enforcement to building the only recruiting company dedicated to police recruiting and public safety recruiting. This episode will inspire and encourage every law enforcement recruiter.

In today's episode of Staffing The Mission, Doug Larsen and Travis Yates discuss the advice that law enforcement recruiters are getting online. We dissect the truth and the falsehoods that are hurting law enforcement agency recruiting and retention.

Brian Ellis joins Doug Larsen and Travis Yates to discuss what Tactical Concepts has been doing for police officer retention. If you are interested in keeping more applicants in your pipeline, this episode is for you.

If losing two officers would rock your agency, this conversation is a blueprint for stability. We sit down with Sgt. Dion Olsen of Crestwood, Missouri, explores how a 29-officer department recruits year-round, accelerates hiring without cutting corners, and turns culture into a real competitive edge. No fluff, just practical tactics

In today's episode, Travis Yates and Doug Larsen discuss their new partnership with ResponderStrong. The mission of ResponderStrong is to improve mental health supports for Emergency Responders, including Healthcare Workers, and their families, by focusing on intervention and prevention.

Join Travis Yates and Doug Larsen as we push past “crisis” talk to show how culture, clarity, and speed drive real results in police recruiting and retention. Dr. Marshall Jones shares practical steps, from mobile‑first pipelines to stay interviews and leadership pipelines, that agencies can use now.

SAFEGUARD Recruiting is proud to join with The National Testing Network in a joint effort to ensure that every public safety agency has the ability to be fully staffed. Travis Yates discusses the coordination between both companies with Greg Hyde, NTN's Chief Experience Officer.

Recruiting for public safety is not a checkbox assignment you hand to the next person who is available. Over the past decade, we’ve seen departments civilianize many support functions, including policy management, media relations, and data analysis, for effectiveness and efficiency. When recruiting is treated as “extra duty,” agencies lose