Boosting Recruitment and Retention in Law Enforcement: How Better Police Technology Attracts Top Talent
Staffing issues are one of the largest challenges facing police departments today, with 94% of police leaders citing staff shortages as a top concern. Officer recruitment and retention are critical for combating ongoing staffing shortages, and police technology is crucial in both.
Unfortunately, retention and recruitment come down to more than simple compensation, with even some of the highest-paying agencies also facing the largest staff shortages. Instead, many officers cite occupational and operational stress as major factors affecting their job satisfaction. Ensuring officers have the law enforcement technology they need to do their jobs effectively and efficiently is a first step in relieving these stressors.
Turning a Corner on Police Officer Staffing
Since 2020, police departments have struggled nationwide with officer staffing and retention. According to an annual survey of 214 agencies by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), there has been a consistent, year-over-year decline in the total number of sworn officers and overall police officer staffing across agencies of all sizes.
But there is good news. While the past few years have shown that new hiring was unable to keep pace with resignations and retirements, 2024’s PERF survey has shown a small but significant bounce:
- The total number of sworn officers among responding agencies increased from 150,714 in 2023 to 151,335 in 2024 — the first increase since 2020.
- New hires surpassed even 2019 levels, with 11,098 new officers being sworn in.
- The largest gains were seen in small- and medium-sized agencies, but large agencies also saw modest gains.
However, since agencies were short-staffed to begin with, this positive news is merely a first step. To maintain this momentum, departments must continue focusing on recruiting new hires and retaining their existing officers.
The Role of Police Technology in Job Satisfaction
Being a police officer is not an easy job in the best of times. Officers are often deployed in stressful situations where split-second decisions are vitally important. In addition, officer shortages mean that those who have been on the job have faced heavier workloads and longer hours to maintain appropriate coverage in their communities.
While making law enforcement technology improvements is not a panacea to fully address recruitment and retention problems, better tech helps officers address a variety of on-the-job concerns, such as:
- Stress management. Ensuring that officers have the tools they need to effectively and efficiently do their jobs goes a long way toward alleviating stress. Providing police technology that helps them on the ground signals that their department is willing to invest in its officers.
- Community engagement. Access to the right technology in the field allows officers to engage in more competent, efficient interactions with the public and to dedicate greater focus to community relations.
- Efficient operations. Until staffing returns to pre-2020 levels, officers will face heavier workloads. However, the right police technology lets departments more efficiently address these workloads and alleviate time-consuming tasks. For example, mobile technology that allows officers to write reports in the field can reduce extra hours at the station at the end of a shift. This can lead to a healthier work-life balance and better overall job satisfaction.
In reality, many departments are already using advanced technology and would like even more. Currently, 90% of law enforcement officers use criminal databases and consult laws and policies online, while 40% would like to utilize thermal imaging and facial recognition technology. Providing officers with the law enforcement technology solutions they need in the field makes the job more appealing to both established offers and new recruits.
Why TOUGHBOOK is the Top Choice for Police Computers
Not every police computer is created equal. TOUGHBOOK® rugged police laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1 devices perform in the most demanding circumstances that police officers face every day. TOUGHBOOK offers a variety of benefits for departments and officers.
Enhanced Job Performance
The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed modern policing, but the data and insights generated by IoT devices aren’t much good if officers can’t access that data in the field. Rugged TOUGHBOOK devices allow officers access to real-time data and information from virtually anywhere, helping to improve efficiency on the job. Here are some examples:
- Connected devices such as cameras and security systems provide officers with valuable information and evidence.
- Wearables such as vest inserts and smartwatches can record officer vitals in real time and alert dispatch when officers are in trouble.
- TOUGHBOOK-equipped squad cars turn into mobile offices, giving officers access to resources regardless of their location.
- E-citations can reduce the length of traffic stops and create more efficient public interactions.
- Traffic reflow and rerouting technology provides officers with up-to-the-second information so they can adjust routes on the fly, respond faster to emergencies, and more effectively re-route traffic when necessary.
Increased Reliability
There’s nothing more frustrating than discovering the tool you need to do your job isn’t working. TOUGHBOOK devices are designed to make sure that doesn’t happen. The premium materials used in TOUGHBOOKs ensure that they can withstand any weather environment (rain, moisture, extreme heat, etc.) and rough usage (drops, shocks, falls, etc.). In fact, TOUGHBOOK rugged laptops and 2-in-1s are more reliable than both consumer devices and other rugged devices:
- TOUGHBOOK laptops have achieved the lowest failure rate in the industry, at 3%.
- Other rugged devices fail at a rate four times higher than TOUGHBOOKs.
- Consumer devices are more than seven times more likely to fail.
Durability isn’t the only area where TOUGHBOOK devices outpace consumer devices. By utilizing wireless capabilities, the best cell networks, and built-in antennae, TOUGHBOOK provides superior connectivity in urban, suburban, and rural environments, helping to ensure that officers are never out of touch with dispatch. Consumer-grade devices are 28% more likely to lose connectivity than TOUGHBOOKS.
Modernized Workplace
To boost recruiting, departments need to appeal to younger generations. These generations have expectations regarding technology use, and their assessments begin during the hiring process. If departments have overly long hiring processes, new recruits get turned off before they’ve even been sworn in. By utilizing better technology and automation, departments can more quickly assess and move recruits through the hiring process.
Modernizing the workplace can also play a major role in retaining officers once hired. Currently, 38% of officers report spending between two and four hours per shift on paperwork. Better tech reduces this burden, resulting in a more satisfying work environment.
Professional Services Support
TOUGHBOOK devices can be customized to meet the specific needs of law enforcement officers. But there’s more to a successful tech partnership than just the devices themselves. Panasonic Connect’s Professional Services provides departments with expert support throughout the lifespan of devices.
Panasonic Connect’s experts can begin providing support before devices are even deployed by working with departments to make sure everything they receive is customized with the needed hardware and software to meet specific department needs. Installation and deployment support is also available so that IT departments are not overburdened during new tech deployments. And, of course, customer support is always available for troubleshooting and quick replacement if an issue does arise.
Officers need law enforcement technology that works. TOUGHBOOK devices are the most reliable on the market, backed by the most comprehensive level of support services. Panasonic Connect’s experts are always there to keep officers equipped and prepared.
Better Police Technology Creates a Better Work Environment
Police officer recruitment and retention require multifaceted solutions. Providing officers with the best police technology will significantly contribute to the development of a better overall work environment. Giving officers the law enforcement solutions they need makes their jobs easier and shows that department leadership is invested in addressing the challenges of modern policing.
Click here to learn more about Panasonic Connect’s solutions for law enforcement.
