sample recruitment policy supplemental resource considerations

Sample Recruitment Policy Supplemental Resource

Considerations November 2021

The materials provided in this correspondence are for general informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be and should not be

considered legal advice or opinions. Prior to making any policy or rule changes seek the advice of your municipal attorney.

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Sample Recruitment Policy Supplemental Resource Considerations

TOPIC: PAGES:

I. Useful Links and Resources 3

II. The State of Recruitment: A Crisis for Law Enforcement 4

III. Recruitment and Retention for Workforce Diversity 12

IV. N.J. Senate Bill 2765 30

V. N.J. Senate Bill 2766 33

VI. N.U. Senate Bill 2767 36

VII. Sample Applicant Response Letters 40

VIII. Sample Job Duties and Requirements 43

VIII. Sample Recruiting Brochure Narrative Text 61

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Recruitment Resource Considerations and Useful Links

Ten Recruiting Tips for Finding Good Officers

Innovations in Police Recruitment and Hiring - COPS

Police Recruitment and Retention for the New Millennium

Law Enforcement Recruitment Toolkit

Investing in Your Story: Revamping Recruiting Videos for Better Results

New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Recruiting – PoliceApp

The Workforce Crisis, and What Police Agencies are Doing About It - PERF

PERF Special Report – 2021 Survey on Workforce Trends

The State of Recruitment: A Crisis for Law Enforcement (IACP)

Recruitment and Retention for Workforce Diversity (COPS/IACP)

Website Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (Municipal Excess Liability Joint Insurance Fund

U.S. Census Community Facts (2020)

New Jersey Senate Bill 3220 Signed Into Law

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices

MEL Employment Practices Liability

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https://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/09-2019/recruitment.html

https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/Publications/cops-p090-pub.pdf

https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2010/RAND_MG959.pdf


https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/investing-in-your-story/

https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/investing-in-your-story/

https://www.policeapp.com/Jobs/Boards/NewPosting/default.aspx?From=NJSACOP

https://www.policeapp.com/Jobs/Boards/NewPosting/default.aspx?From=NJSACOP

https://www.policeforum.org/assets/WorkforceCrisis.pdf


https://www.policeforum.org/workforcesurveyjune2021

https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/239416_IACP_RecruitmentBR_HR_0.pdf

https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/Publications/cops-w0962-pub.pdf



https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219

https://www.njlm.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1797

https://www.eeoc.gov/prohibited-employment-policiespractices

https://www.eeoc.gov/prohibited-employment-policiespractices

https://njmel.org/mel-safety-institute/resource-center/public-officials/employment-practices-liability/

THE STATE OF RECRUITMENT: A CRISIS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT 1

A CRISIS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

THE STATE OF RECRUITMENT:

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2 THE STATE OF RECRUITMENT: A CRISIS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

THE STATE OF RECRUITMENT: A CRISIS FORLAW ENFORCEMENT

Law enforcement agencies across the United States are struggling to recruit and hire police officers. Though agency-specific needs exist depending on size or locale, the difficulty with recruitment is a significant problem that is broadly affecting the field of law enforcement—it is not simply a result of poor agency management or localized failures.

Law enforcement is not the only occupation facing severe shortages of qualified job seekers, particularly within the United States.

There is a worker shortage—not a shortage of work.1 Other occupations such as nursing, teaching, construction, and the military are all experiencing a skilled labor shortage.

The U.S. unemployment rate as of September 2019 is at 3.5%, which is the lowest it has been since December 1969. The number of job openings in the United States has reached 7.1 million, which exceeds the number of unemployed people by 1.3 million.

In September 2019, the International Association

of Chiefs of Police conducted a

membership survey to better understand the extent of the recruiting crisis, the factors that underlie current difficulties,

and the impact

these challenges have had on agencies and the communities they serve.

The IACP survey on recruitment demonstrates that the difficulty in recruiting law enforcement officers and employees is not due to one particular cause. Rather, multiple social, political, and economic forces are all simultaneously at play in shaping the current state of recruitment and retention. They are both systemic in nature and reflect individual-level considerations, making solutions to the problem particularly challenging.

The survey also makes it clear that, if agencies are unable to recruit new officers to replace those who have retired or otherwise left the law enforcement profession, it will significantly increase the strain on police organizations and officers. As vacancy numbers increase due to the inability to fill positions and as more officers continue to become eligible for retirement, existing officers are becoming overworked and burned out. At a time when the importance of officer mental wellness is more widely recognized, powerful efforts to recruit, hire, and retain officers become increasingly important. Law enforcement agencies need to thoughtfully amend recruitment and hiring practices without lowering the standards for officers that their peers and communities have come to expect.

CONTENTSRecruitment By The Numbers ................ 3What Is Driving The Recruitment Crisis? .......... 4Impact 0n The Profession .......................... 5Innovations In Recruitment ....................... 6

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RECRUITMENT BY THE NUMBERS

1 Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, “Police and Detectives,” Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/protective-service/police-and-detectives.htm (accessed June 12, 2019).

2 Shelley Hyland, Full-Time Employees in Law Enforcement Agencies, 1997-2016, Statistical Brief NCJ 251762 (Bureau of Justice Statistics, August 2018), https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ftelea9716.pdf.

3 Jon Shane, “Organizational Stressors and Police Performance,” Journal of Criminal Justice 38, no. 4 (June 2010): 807–818.

Across the United States, there are approximately 18,000 law enforcement agencies spanning federal, state, local, and

tribal levels. These agencies have more than 1 million employees, of which approximately 70% are sworn officers and 30% are non-sworn, civilian employees.1

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, despite an increase in the raw number of law enforcement jobs, a more considerable growth in U.S. population has actually led to a slow decline in the ratio of residents to police officers.2 As a result, officers are responsible for serving more people—often with fewer resources.

In order for police agencies to match an adequate number of officers to the growing population, many agencies are routinely looking to hire additional individuals.

Though it is challenging for many agencies to reach or maintain 100% of their staffing levels, it should be a goal of the field to come as close as possible to adequately staffing officer ranks. Research shows that operating below authorized staffing levels leads to low officer morale and job satisfaction. This is also true if employees perceive the agency to be understaffed.3

The IACP survey found that the challenge of recruiting law enforcement is widespread and affects agencies of all types, sizes, and locations across the United States.

In addition, the survey results clearly demonstrated that the challenges of recruitment are having a direct impact on the way law enforcement agencies are managed by law enforcement executives. Half of the responding agencies (50%) reported having to change agency policies in order to increase the chances of gaining qualified applicants.

Beyond highlighting the challenges of identifying and hiring qualified recruits, the survey also shined a light on how consistent understaffing of an agency taxes existing resources and personnel. Of even greater concern is the impact that the recruitment crisis – and the related understaffing of agencies – is having on the ability of agencies to provide certain services. A quarter (25%) of the responding agencies reported having to reduce or eliminate certain agency services, units, or positions because of staffing difficulties.

78%

of agencies reported having

difficulty in recruiting qualified

candidates

65%

of agencies reported having

too few candidates applying to be

law enforcement officers

75%

of agencies reported that

recruiting is more difficult today than it was five

years ago

of agencies reported having to change agency policies in

order to increase the chances of gaining qualified applicants

50%

of agencies reported having to reduce or

eliminate certain agency services,

units, or positions because of staffing

difficulties

25%

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WHAT IS DRIVING THE RECRUITMENT CRISIS?

4 Rich Morin et al., Behind the Badge: Amid Protests and Calls for Reform, How Police View Their Jobs, Key Issues and Recent Fatal Encounters between Blacks and Police (Pew Research Center, 2017), https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/01/11/behind-the-badge

Reports from surveyed agency executives tend to fall into two categories: (1) factors that are problematic within the current applicant pool

and (2) factors that may explain why certain types of candidates are or are not applying to work in law enforcement.

Issues most frequently cited by survey respondents were that there is a low number of individuals applying to agency vacancies and that, among those who do apply, the quality of the applicants is often poor. It is not uncommon for applicants who appear to be strong candidates to fail a background check or divulge disqualifying information later in the hiring process. Additionally, agencies in regions where multiple law enforcement agencies are geographically close often find themselves in fierce competition to attract and secure the best candidates in the area.

Other key findings from the survey include the following issues.

Generational Differences Millennials and Generation Z—loosely defined as individuals who range from high school age to their late 30s—are more apt to value work-life balance than their Baby Boomer counterparts. This translates into young people hoping for more flexible hours and guaranteed time off. Mandated overtime and missing holidays with family are less appealing to Millennials and members of Generation Z. Other shifts in U.S. culture, such as student loan debt, child care challenges for complex schedules, and the need for double incomes makes police work a stressful occupation for families today.

There has also been a shift away from people being hired, staying, and retiring from a single agency, or even in the same profession. For younger people, leaving a job after a few years is commonplace, and moving from job to job is often

how younger generation U.S. workers move up the ladder in their careers.

Public Image of Law EnforcementAgencies strongly believe that public perception of law enforcement limits interest in the profession and is a sizable barrier to effective recruitment. Scrutiny of the police, cellphone recordings of interactions between the police and public, media coverage, and popular entertainment portrayals of police have led many young people to view police differently than their parents may have.

Overall, a majority of police officers feel their jobs have gotten more difficult since high-profile use-of-force incidents have dominated the national conversation.4 Line-of-duty deaths have also become more highly publicized, including the killings of police due to community tension such as the mass shooting of Dallas police officers in 2016.

Each of these factors contribute to the negative perception of policing as a career opportunity for potential recruits.

Hiring Process Challenges Among IACP survey respondents, issues of applicant quality often coincided with challenges to getting recruits through the entire hiring process. Some agencies noted that passing a background check is a huge barrier in hiring individuals, as is meeting all the necessary criteria to be a police officer.

Furthermore, while the multistage hiring process is helpful for agencies to weed out recruits who do not make the cut, the recruiting process can be long and arduous. Of the respondents to the IACP recruitment survey, 47.5% reported having a hiring process that lasts anywhere from four months to over a year. Depending on the needs of

7


the applicant, potential recruits may be unable or unwilling to wait that long.

Some agencies have taken to evaluating current policies that could be creating an initial barrier to applicants, such as a no-tattoo policy. Other policies, like strictly disqualifying anyone with a past use of controlled substances, are also starting to be reconsidered. As states begin to decriminalize marijuana, some executives realize that years-old drug use is less indicative of what can make a good police officer than other factors.

Challenges to Civilian Recruitment While much of the national discussion is centered around police officers, agency operations depend as much on civilian employees as they depend on sworn employees. Given that the qualifications to be a civilian employee will vary depending on the position, recruiting civilians for certain roles may be particularly challenging.

Approximately 30% of respondents experience moderate to major challenges in recruiting for non-sworn positions. Of all types of civilian employees, agencies reported that dispatch positions are among those most difficult to fill.

IMPACT ON THE PROFESSION

If law enforcement agencies continue to lose officers without bringing in a number of qualified recruits to replace them, communities

will soon begin to feel the effects. Longer wait times for calls for service, fewer crimes solved and cleared, and on-duty officers who are burned out and overworked threaten the quality of life in our communities.

If the loss of police officers and employees continues, along with a lack of hiring, agencies will continue to take on more strain at both the organizational and individual levels. As vacancy numbers increase, officers become overworked and burned out. In an era when the epidemic of police suicide and importance of officer mental wellness are starting to be recognized, thoughtful hiring and workforce retention become more and more important. Law enforcement agencies need to thoughtfully amend recruitment and hiring practices without lowering the standards for officers that communities have come to expect.

Clearly, the difficulty in recruiting law enforcement officers and employees is not due to a single reason or even a handful of reasons. Agencies will have to tailor solutions to their communities to ensure appropriate candidates are considered.Additionally, in order to maintain a healthy, satisfied workforce, agencies must be mindful of the things their employees prioritize, both while on and off duty. Amending or implementing policies and incentives that reflect people’s priorities may be a huge leap forward in improving overall agency culture. Police leaders, working with their governing bodies, have the opportunity to improve recruitment outcomes.

This improvement occurs through innovative policies, new approaches to recruiting, and incentives for employees where they count.

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INNOVATIONS IN RECRUITMENTAgencies of all sizes across the United States have implemented new strategies and approaches to improving agency recruitment.

m Opportunities to gain experience. It is the case for some applicants that law enforcement work sounds enticing until they are hired, leaving the possibility that an agency invests in training the police recruit only to have him or her leave the agency soon after. Some agencies have taken to building bridges between the community and the agency by offering opportunities for members of the public to do physical training with officers. Ride-alongs and outreach to secondary schools and colleges are other ways current officers can bond with potential recruits and increase the likelihood of bringing in quality candidates who want to stay on the job.

m Compensation incentives. Attractive compensation packages have begun to set some agencies apart. In some states, state money has been allocated for officer student loan payment. Other jurisdictions have partnered directly with colleges and universities to allow police recruits to trade their training hours for college credits. These types of programs give recruits a chance to build and pay for their education without the stress of adding additional student loan debt. These types of programs aimed at developing young people into professionals have the potential to entice them to begin a career. Other types of monetary incentives can include sign-on bonuses or salary increases when a police recruit moves from the academy to the field.

m Relaxing candidate disqualifiers. Due to shifting culture among younger generations, some agencies recognize that older policies have been more of a hindrance to recruitment efforts than a help in the past few years. For instance, many agencies are now allowing officers to have visible tattoos. Other agencies no longer disqualify candidates for certain instances of past drug use, with some even

choosing not to address it with the candidates at all. Of course, changing policies to lower certain standards does come with risks, so agencies should assess their current policies to determine where the largest barrier to recruitment lies and how can it be revised in the most risk-averse way.

m Programs to address heavy time commitment. Though applicants’ reasons vary for preferring work with more flexible schedules, shorter academy training, and better life-work balance, the call to agencies is the same: make it easier for individuals to become law enforcement officers and to stay in the job. Some agencies have offered part-time officer positions, including part-time academy training, in an effort to entice female recruits who may be balancing motherhood with work. An example of this, is the Metropolitan Police Service in London. The Metropolitan Police’s research showed full-time working hours deterred some women from considering a career in policing, so, in 2019, they began to allow new constable recruits to choose between full-time or part-time working hours. Prior to this shift, all new police constable recruits were expected to complete their training and then their probationary period on a full-time basis before they were able to apply for part-time work.

Other programs for rural or state agencies have begun to offer online versions of officer training so that recruits will not have to worry about the strain of traveling far from home for weeks on end to attend the academy. Another simple way agencies can address concerns about time commitment is offering flexible schedules, including using longer shifts to give employees additional days off.

m Web-based outreach. A few agencies have ramped up recruiting efforts online by building out recruiting websites that are separate from the agency’s main site. Here, agencies can clearly list employment criteria, testing dates,

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and let the community know when recruiting events are taking place. The sites often include a list of “frequently asked questions” for potential applicants. Having a recruiting website not only improves transparency and communication within the hiring process, but it may even take some of the daily burden off human resources staff by readily providing answers to common applicant questions.

m Material perks. Many agencies struggle to increase salaries or offer monetary bonuses, but that hasn’t stopped some agencies from providing other perks to their officers. Allowing officers to take their patrol cars home, offering a clothing allowance, and providing casual uniform options (e.g., polo shirts) for appropriate activities are some approaches agencies have taken.

m Innovative time leave programs. Beyond offering flexible daily schedules for officers, some agencies have also begun to experiment with innovative leave policies. Agencies offering unlimited sick leave not only support employees when unavoidable illness befalls them or their family members, but also set a standard for agency culture that employee wellness comes first. If unlimited sick leave isn’t an option, having an official or unofficial policy of being understanding and accommodating in granting employee leave requests can be attractive to potential recruits.

m Recruitment campaigns. Many agencies have moved beyond traditional recruitment campaigns that glorified policing by showing officers rescuing civilians in intense standoffs, SWAT-like images, etc. Agencies are trying to highlight the real day-to-day aspects of the job, which are often vastly different from how the law enforcement profession is viewed. Efforts of this nature are designed to both attract and retain candidates who are able to respond to daily service calls about persons affected by mental illness, help those with substance abuse disorders, aid people experiencing homelessness, and help someone who has a flat tire. By educating applicants that the day-to-day policing work does not typically involve hostage situations, a car chase, and stopping an active shooter, agencies can better retain applicants and avoid turnover.

10

International Association of Chiefs of Police44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 200Alexandria, VA 22314

Direct: 703-836-6767Main Line: 800-THE-IACPFax: 703-836-4543

www.theIACP.org

11

Recruitment and Retention for Workforce Diversity, Resource Guidebook | 2021 1

C R I - T A C S P O T L I G H T

Recruitment and Retention for Workforce DiversityRESOURCE GUIDEBOOK | 2021

12

Preface The purpose of this guidebook is to provide

the law enforcement field with information

about existing resources for promoting work-

force diversity through a variety of staffing

mechanisms. It is not meant to be exhaustive,

but rather to promote awareness of research

and professional publications that may not

have been visible or accessible to practitioners.

Though limited, resources on this issue are

growing, and this guidebook attempts to high-

light publications that are unique, particularly

insightful, or considered foundational. Most

of these resources contain rich reference lists

that will direct the reader to other literature

on issues of interest.

What follows is a table of contents that lists

each resource alphabetically by title and the

page number that corresponds to its summary.

To provide greater context for identifying

resources that may be most useful for read-

ers, the table of contents lists several staffing

domains that are relevant to advancing diver-

sity: creating a pipeline of officers, marketing,

selection, staffing for recruitment, mentorship,

organizational climate, career progression,

analysis and benchmarking, and substantive

focus on women and race/ethnicity. The

table of contents provides page numbers that

indicate which resources provide context on

each domain and where it can be found in

them. (Note there may be other locations

where important information can be found

that could inform the various domains,

but the pages listed indicate where the infor-

mation is discussed most directly.) This

guidebook will help agencies further an

evidence-based approach to facilitating diver-

sity among their ranks.

i 13

Acknowledgments The COPS Office would like to acknowledge the two Collaborative Reform Initiative

Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC) subject matter experts who developed this

guide, and without whose experience, expertise, and knowledge it would not have

been possible:

Charles Scheer

Associate Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, and Security,

The University of Southern Mississippi

Jeremy M. Wilson

Professor, School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University

This project was supported, in whole or in part, by cooperative agreement number 2017-CR-WX-K001 awarded

by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The opinions contained

herein are those of the author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or

policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific individuals, agencies, companies, products, or

services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather,

the references are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues.

ii 14

Contents Page numbers from the resource providing context on indicated domain

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Behavioral Insights

for Building the Police

Force of Tomorrow

8–10;

11; 14

8–10;

12–14

8–10;

11 11 4

8–10;

12–14

8–10;

12–14

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CRI-TAC Spotlight:

Roundtable on

Recruitment, Hiring,

and Retention

2–3 2 3 2 4

5

The Decision to Become

a Police Officer in a

Legitimacy Crisis

250–265 253–254 250–265 250–265 250; 264

6

Diversifying the

Police Applicant

Pool: Motivations of

Women and Minority

Candidates Seeking

Police Employment

210–212

207–208;

212;

214–217

207–218;

210;

216–218

214–217 214–217 207–218 207–218

6

An Examination

of Recruiting and

Selection Practices to

Promote Diversity for

Colorado State Troopers

4–7 11;

12–15

10–13;

17;

19–20

8–12;

14–20 9 12–13 6–20

7–8;

14–18

7

Examining a Ferguson

Effect on College

Students’ Motivation to

Become Police Officers

585–601 598–601 590

586;

591–592;

595–601

7

Four Steps to Bring

More Women into

Policing

3–4 3–4;

4–7 4 6 3–7 7 1–10

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Page numbers from the resource providing context on indicated domain

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The Glass Ceiling

in Context: The

Influence of CEO

Gender, Recruitment

Practices and Firm

Internationalisation on

the Representation of

Women in Management

136;

142–143 135; 144 133–146 133–146 133–146

8

Hiring for the

21st Century Law

Enforcement

Officer: Challenges,

Opportunities, and

Strategies for Success

5–27;

29–39;

41–49

35–39;

41–47 5–27 41–47

34;

42–43;

49

29–39;

45–49;

51–55

44–46 27

1–4;

10–13;

16–17;

26–27;

41–44;

47–49;

63–64

1–4;

16–17;

26–27;

41–44;

47–49

8

Interest in Police Patrol

Careers: An Assessment

of Potential Candidates’

Impressions of the

Police Recruitment,

Selection, and Training

Processes

5–10;

19–20;

21–24

5–10;

19–20;

21–24

19–20 5–10; 16;

19 6; 19–20

19–20;

21–24

5; 11;

15–16;

19

6; 10; 12;

19–20;

21–24

7–17;

19–20;

21–24

8

Investigating Percep-

tions of Race and Ethnic

Diversity Among Prospec-

tive Police Officers

491–501 493 492–493 492–493;

497 498 491–501

9

Law Enforcement Best

Practices: Lessons

Learned from the Field

93–99;

107–108

102–105;

107–108

95–97;

104 103; 108 100; 108 93–99

97–98;

105–106;

109

94;

104–105;

108

97;

100–101 100–101

9

Levelling the Playing

Field in Police

Recruitment: Evidence

from a Field Experiment

on Test Performance

943–954 943–953 950–953 947–949;

952–953 943–954

Contents 2 16

3 Recruitment and Retention for Workforce Diversity, Resource Guidebook | 2021


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The Model Police

Officer: Recruitment,

Training, & Community

Engagement

1–4; 4–94–9;

10–12

19–22;

27–30

4–9;

14–1914–19 25–30

4–9;

10–12;

14–19;

25

4–9;

10–12;

15; 21

10

More than Public

Service: A Field

Experiment on Job

Advertisements and

Diversity in the Police

68–72 67–85 77–79 67–85 67–85

10

Police Recruitment and

Retention for the New

Millennium: The State

of Knowledge

3–6072–79;

85–8680–86 70–73 55; 58–59 70–73

37;

45–46;

51–52

68–6933; 44;

63–64; 71

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Recruiting and Retain-

ing America’s Finest:

Evidence-Based

Lessons for Police

Workforce Planning

41–55 23;

52–54; 6813–39 63

13–40;

59–6659–66 67–74 41–58; 55 55–58

11

Recruiting and Retain-

ing Officers in Small

and Rural Agencies

3–823–29;

31–34

12

Recruiting and

Retaining Women: A

Self-Assessment Guide

for Law Enforcement

43–90 33–40 63–90 46–58 93–102

33–39;

111–117;

159–161

119–145 149–157 21–222 133–146

12

Recruitment &

Retention: Best

Practices Update

55–78;

125–127;

129–138;

107–116;

125–127;

129–138

117–124 139–144 129–138

90–91;

169–174;

175–180

161–168;

181–188

91–93;

149

55–78;

109–111;

125–127;

129–137;

140

55-78;

109–111;

125–127;

129–137;

140

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Contents 4


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Strategies for

Improving Officer

Recruitment in the

San Diego Police

Department

25–33;

45–76

15–19;

45–76

6–7;

19–22;

85–110

79–8318; 22;

29; 3122–25 22–23

31;

56–59;

81; 95

25; 81;

88; 91–93

13

Thick Red Tape and the

Thin Blue Line: A Field

Study on Reducing

Administrative Burden

in Police Recruitment

1–10 1–10 1–10 9 1; 6; 8

13

Women in Policing:

Breaking Barriers and

Blazing a Path

10–13 14–16 10–14 247–10;

24–276–7 5 iii–27

13

The Workforce Crisis,

and What Police

Agencies are Doing

About It

19–32;

34–35;

37–42

49–50 44–45

15;

44–45;

47–50

10; 32;

38;

40–41;

45; 53–54

33–5729–30;

52–54

42–46;

54–5542–43

18

Resources Title: Beha vioral Insights for Building the Police Force of Tomorrow

Lead Author: Behavioral Insights Team

Date: Januar y 2019

Location: https://www.bi.team/publications/behavioral-insights-for-building-the-police-

force-of-tomorrow/

Abstract: Agencies across the U.S. reported career motivations of existing sworn staff to find

promising practices for recruitment and retention. “Decision points” throughout the recruitment,

selection, and career development process are detailed.

Title: CRI-T AC Spotlight: Roundtable on Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention

Lead Author: Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center (CRI-TAC)

Date: 2020

Location: https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/Publications/cops-w0899-pub.pdf

Abstract: The West Greenwich (Rhode Island) Police Department requested assistance through

CRI-TAC to host an event for local law enforcement agencies from Rhode Island and the sur-

rounding areas to discuss regional challenges in recruitment, hiring, and retention. On January

29, 2020, CRI-TAC hosted Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention. National and Local Trends, a

roundtable discussion in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. This document summarizes and annotates

the discussions from that roundtable, supplemented by a list of additional resources.

Title: The Decision t o Become a Police Officer in a Legitimacy Crisis (available for purchase)

Lead Author: Natalie Todak

Date: 2 017

Location: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08974454.2016.1256804?scroll=top

&needAccess=true

Abstract: Th is study examines how individuals make the decision to become police officers in the

context of a police legitimacy crisis and how men’s and women’s decision-making processes may be

different. In-depth interviews were conducted with 42 criminal justice college students who want

to become police officers. Prospective police officers anticipated facing challenges as a direct result

5 19

https://www.bi.team/publications/behavioral-insights-for-building-the-police-force-of-tomorrow/


https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08974454.2016.1256804?scroll=top&needAccess=true

of the current climate surrounding American policing, which is characterized by decreased police

legitimacy. On top of this, women anticipated facing more challenges than male officers due to

their gender and underrepresentation in police work.

Title: Div ersifying the Police Applicant Pool: Motivations of Women and Minority

Candidates Seeking Police Employment (available for purchase)

Lead Author: Jennifer Gibbs

Date: 2 019

Location: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1478601X.2019.1579717?

journalCode=gjup20

Abstract: This study provides contemporary insight into reasons women and minority candidates

apply to a police department, asking respondents an open-ended question about their motivation

to apply. Policing as a childhood dream, making a difference in the community and the opportu-

nity to help people, and believing policing was a good transition from military to civilian life were

the most-cited reasons for applying. Salary, benefits, and job security were the least-cited reasons

for applying for a police position.

Title: An Examination of Recr uiting and Selection Practices to Promote

Diversity for Colorado State Troopers

Lead Author: Tracy Krueger

Date: 2 019

Location: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3550/c88674c2d27fad206e51bf62fe2b7e7f9a41.pdf

Abstract: The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) seeks to better reflect the demographic representation

of the state of Colorado. This report examines how the CSP’s recruiting and selection policies and

procedures relate to that objective. Barriers to diversity include the composition of the current

workforce, the nature of the job, relocation requirements, and the lengthy hiring process. Recom-

mendations include assessing propensity to apply, determining why applicants drop out, adjusting

application windows, exploring strategies to shorten background investigations, and providing a

realistic job preview.

Resources 6 20

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1478601X.2019.1579717?journalCode=gjup20

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3550/c88674c2d27fad206e51bf62fe2b7e7f9a41.pdf

Title: Examining a F erguson Effect on College Students’ Motivation

to Become Police Officers (available for purchase)

Lead Author: Weston Morrow

Date: 2 019

Location: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10511253.2019.1619793

Abstract: Th e study highlights how the negative attention directed towards law enforcement is

adversely influencing college students’ motivation to enter the police profession. Law enforcement

agencies must make a concerted effort to mitigate such negative scrutiny to ensure a strong candi-

date pool for prospective police officers.

Title: F our Steps to Bring More Women into Policing (membership required)

Lead Author: Samantha Clinkinbeard

Date: 2020

Location: https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/four-steps-to-bring-more-women-into-policing/

Abstract: A gencies are encouraged to take proactive steps in defining the desired characteristics

in candidates, assembling the right people for the recruitment effort, experimenting with different

techniques, and assessing strategies for efficacy in producing results.

Title: The Glass Ceiling in Cont ext: The Influence of CEO Gender, Recruitment

Practices and Firm Internationalisation on the Representation of Women in

Management (available for purchase)

Lead Author: Eddy S. Ng

Date: 2 017

Location: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1748-8583.12135

Abstract: Th is study investigated chief executive officer gender and the active recruitment of

women as predictors of an organization’s level of representation of women in management.

Results from a survey of 278 firms indicated that the presence of a female chief executive officer

and an organization’s active recruitment of women are positively associated with a firm’s percent-

age of women in management.

Recruitment and Retention for Workforce Diversity, Resource Guidebook | 2021 7 21

https://www.policechiefmagazine.org/four-steps-to-bring-more-women-into-policing/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10511253.2019.1619793

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1748-8583.12135

Title: Hir ing for the 21st Century Law Enforcement Officer: Challenges, Opportunities,

and Strategies for Success

Lead Author: COPS Office / Police Executive Research Forum

Date: 2 017


Abstract: Th is monograph examines the landscape of contemporary approaches to recruit-

ment by detailing agencies’ experiences with specific strategies, such as the relaxation of selec-

tion criteria, the examination of human resources barriers, and the use of educational and

other lifestyle incentives.

Title: Interest in Police Patrol Careers: An Assessment of Potential Candidates’

Impressions of the Police Recruitment, Selection, and Training Processes

Lead Author: Charles Scheer

Date: 2 018

Location: https://www.usm.edu/criminal-justice-forensic-science-security/

police_report_scheer.pdf

Abstract: This project reports responds to a comprehensive survey issued to college students at

five United States university programs asking for impressions of the recruitment, selection, and

training processes for police patrol positions. Findings include reasons for perception of barriers

to entry involving generational differences, lack of career information, lack of mentoring and guid-

ance through the selection process, and aversion to patrol work because of community perception.

Title: Investigating Perceptions of Race and Ethnic Diversity Among Prospective

Police Officers (available for purchase)

Lead Author: Natalie Todak

Date: 2 018

Location: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15614263.2018.1428097

Abstract: Th is research examined perceptions of police race, ethnicity, and diversity in a sample

of 42 criminal justice college students in the southwestern United States who wanted to become

police officers. Interviews illustrated they supported diversity in policing, collectively expressed a

Resources 8 22


https://www.usm.edu/criminal-justice-forensic-science-security/police_report_scheer.pdf

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15614263.2018.1428097

belief that race plays a central role in policing today, and expressed support for the ideals of both

passive and active representative bureaucracy. Hispanics in the sample anticipated they would pos-

itively affect police relations in Hispanic neighborhoods and encourage immigrants to cooperate

with police.

Title: La w Enforcement Best Practices: Lessons Learned from the Field

Lead Author: COPS Office

Date: 2 019


Abstract: Th e U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

(COPS Office) examines key areas for community policing. These areas include de-escalation;

crisis intervention; first-line supervisors; early intervention systems; internal affairs; recruitment,

hiring, promotion, and retention; and data systems.

Title: Lev elling the Playing Field in Police Recruitment: Evidence from

a Field Experiment on Test Performance (available for purchase)

Lead Author: Elizabeth Linos

Date: 2 017

Location: https://onlinelibrarywiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/padm.12344

Abstract: This study reports the results of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in a police force

that was experiencing a disproportionate drop in minority applicants during one particular test.

Drawing on insights from the literatures on stereotype threat, belonging uncertainty, and values

affirmation exercises, the authors redesigned the wording on the email inviting applicants to par-

ticipate in the test. The results show a 50 percent increase in the probability of passing the test for

minority applicants in the treatment group, with no effect on white applicants.



https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/padm.12344

Title: The Model P olice Officer: Recruitment, Training, and Community Engagement

Lead Author: International City/County Management Association and Vera Institute

of Justice

Date: Sep tember 2018

Location: https://icma.org/documents/model-police-officer-recruitment-training-

and-community-engagement

Abstract: This 25-jurisdiction survey of recruitment topics delved into the recruiting, training,

and community relations expectations of a wide range of police and sheriff’s offices. The mono-

graph lists potential promising practices as stated by survey respondents for a host of agency goals,

including strategies for recruitment for diversity.

Title: More than Public Service: A Field Experiment on Job Advertisements

and Diversity in the Police


Date: 2 018

Location: https://academic.oup.com/jpart/article/28/1/67/4590248

Abstract: This study presents the results of a field experiment aimed at attracting more and

different people to apply to a police force by varying job advertisements in a postcard. The results

suggest that focusing on public service motivation (PSM) messages is ineffective at attracting can-

didates who would not have applied anyway. Rather, messages that focus on the personal benefits

of applying to the job—either emphasizing the challenge of the job or the career benefits—are three

times as effective at getting individuals to apply as the control, without an observable loss in appli-

cant quality.

Title: P olice Recruitment and Retention for the New Millennium:

The State of Knowledge

Lead Author: Jeremy M. Wilson

Date: 2 010

Location: https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG959.html

Resources 10 24

https://academic.oup.com/jpart/article/28/1/67/4590248

https://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG959.html

https://icma.org/documents/model-police-officer-recruitment-training-and-community-engagement

Abstract: This guidebook summarizes police practitioners’ lessons on recruiting and retaining

diverse, effective workforces. It provides a means for local officials to identify what has been tried

elsewhere and what might be applicable in their own communities. It is a broad analysis of issues

confronting many agencies and how these have developed over time. Each agency will face unique

circumstances that it must consider in workforce planning; this monograph can provide guidance

on relevant lessons learned elsewhere.

Title: Recruiting and Retaining America’s Finest: Evidence-Based Lessons

for Police Workforce Planning

Lead Author: Jeremy M. Wilson

Date: 2 010


Abstract: Recruitment and retention are tools for accomplishing a larger goal: achieving

and maintaining the profile of officers by experience and rank that satisfies agency needs and

officer career aspirations. In this monograph, the authors summarize a survey of every U.S.

police agency with at least 300 sworn officers, seeking to document such characteristics as autho-

rized and actual strength by rank, officer work and qualifications, compensation, and recruiting

efforts. The authors overview current recruitment and retention practices and how they affect

personnel profiles.

Title: Recr uiting and Retaining Officers in Small and Rural Agencies

Lead Author: COPS Office

Date: 2020

Location: https://cops.usdoj.gov/RIC/Publications/cops-p426-pub.pdf

Abstract: Th is publication encompasses the challenges of law enforcement recruitment and

retention in relation to smaller and rural law enforcement agencies. The topics discussed include

the qualities that make an effective police officer, an in-depth examination of why people leave a

department, and the significant challenges to recruiting and retaining officers.




Title: Recr uiting and Retaining Women: A Self-Assessment Guide for Law Enforcement

Lead Author: National Center for Women in Policing

Date: June 200 1

Location: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/185235.pdf

Abstract: Th is seminal research publication on the recruitment of women features a self-

assessment guide for law enforcement agencies to evaluate their capacities for recruitment in

creating teams, assessing local and regional resources, and capitalizing on existing strategies.

The monograph contains an array of strategies which may fit agencies of all character.

Title: Recr uitment & Retention: Best Practices Update

Lead Author: California POST

Date: April 2006

Location: http.//annex.ipacweb.org/library/conf/08/ca_post.pdf

Abstract: Th is detailed, step-by-step guide to promising practices in recruitment and retention

lays out the demographic landscape and trends. The publication compiles myriad strategies,

including identifying and developing recruitment personnel, identifying different venues for

recruitment, and staffing and preview techniques.

Title: Str ategies for Improving Officer Recruitment in the San Diego Police Department

Lead Author: Greg Ridgeway

Date: 2008


Abstract: The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) has been operating below its authorized

size in recent years. To bridge its personnel gap, the department needs to maximize its recruiting

while minimizing officer attrition. Specifically, the SDPD can optimize the recruiting process and

manage recruiters and resources to achieve the maximum number of recruits. The authors assessed

strategies for expanding the SDPD’s applicant pool, evaluated the written-test process, and

reviewed fitness-exam and background-check processes. As a result, they have specific recommen-

dations to improve the SDPD’s recruiting efforts. This monograph describes the study and

its recommendations.

Resources 12 26

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/bja/185235.pdf

http://annex.ipacweb.org/library/conf/08/ca_post.pdf


Title: Thic k Red Tape and the Thin Blue Line: A Field Study on Reducing Administrative

Burden in Police Recruitment (available for purchase)


Date: 2 019

Location: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/puar.13115

Abstract: Using four years of administrative data and a field experiment conducted in the Los

Angeles Police Department, the authors analyze the impact of administrative burden on the likeli-

hood that a candidate will remain in the recruitment process. Findings show that reducing friction

costs to participation and simplifying processes improve compliance, as behavioral public admin-

istration would predict. Applicants who were offered simpler, standardized processes completed

more tests and were more likely to be hired.

Title: W omen in Policing: Breaking Barriers and Blazing a Path

Lead Author: National Institute of Justice

Date: July 20 19

Location: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/252963.pdf

Abstract: Pr oceedings of the national conference on Women in Policing, this report summarizes

the perspectives of managers from a national sample about the state of knowledge about recruit-

ing, workforce growth, promotions, and career development for women in the field.

Title: The Workforce Crisis, and What Police Agencies are Doing About It

Lead Author: Police Executive Research Forum

Date: Sep tember 2019

Location: https://www.policeforum.org/assets/WorkforceCrisis.pdf

Abstract: Pr oceedings of the December 2018 summit conference on recruiting. This document

summarizes input from a diverse sample of agency representatives speaking about their challenges

and “what works” in navigating their specific crisis point.


https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/puar.13115

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/252963.pdf


The CRI-TAC Spotlight series is committed to advancing knowledge through sharing

tools, resources, and information developed for the law enforcement feld as a result

of customized training and technical assistance delivered by CRI-TAC. This guide

highlights and summarizes publications that provide the law enforcement feld

reference and resources for promoting workforce diversity.

U.S. Department of Justice

Offce of Community Oriented

Policing Services

145 N Street NE

Washington, DC 20530

To obtain details about COPS Offce programs, call

the COPS Offce Response Center at 800-421-6770.

Visit the COPS Offce online at cops.usdoj.gov.

International Association of Chiefs of Police

44 Canal Center Plaza Ste 200

Alexandria, VA 22314

Call the IACP at 800-THE-IACP or

visit online at theiacp.org.

Published 2021 e032111984 29

https://cops.usdoj.gov

https://www.theiacp.org

(Sponsorship Updated As Of: 6/24/2021)

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2765

STATE OF NEW JERSEY 219th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED AUGUST 3, 2020

Sponsored by:

Senator STEPHEN M. SWEENEY

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Senator RONALD L. RICE

District 28 (Essex)

Senator M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON

District 37 (Bergen)

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Pou, Turner, Greenstein, Singleton, Assemblywomen Speight,

Murphy, Mosquera, Carter, Timberlake, Vainieri Huttle, Assemblyman

Tully and Assemblywoman Swain

SYNOPSIS

Requires Civil Services Commission to undertake various initiatives to

increase diversity and inclusivity within law enforcement agencies.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As amended by the General Assembly on June 21, 2021.

30

S2765 [1R] SWEENEY, RICE

2

EXPLANATION – Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is

not enacted and is intended to be omitted in the law.

Matter underlined thus is new matter

Matter enclosed in superscript numerals has been adopted as follows:

1Assembly floor amendments adopted June 21, 2021.

AN ACT concerning diversity and inclusivity within law 1

enforcement agencies in this State and supplementing P.L.1948, 2

c.439 (C.52:17B-1 et seq.). 3

4

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State 5

of New Jersey: 6

7

1. a. The Civil Service Commission shall conduct, or select a 8

qualified vendor to conduct, 1[within] beginning not later than1 one 9

year following enactment of this act, P.L. , c. (pending before 10

the Legislature as this bill), an analysis of the racial composition of 11

law enforcement agencies in this State, with the goal of identifying 12

those agencies that might benefit most from eliminating any 13

preference in hiring based upon residency. 14

1All law enforcement agencies in this State shall participate and 15

provide to the commission any requested information, whether or 16

not such law enforcement agency operates pursuant to the 17

provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes.1 18

b. In conducting the analysis, the commission or vendor shall, to 19

the greatest extent possible: 20

(1) examine the racial composition of law enforcement agencies; 21

(2) examine the salaries of law enforcement officers; 22

(3) analyze and compare the data obtained pursuant to 23

paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection; 24

(4) examine the variances in salaries based upon geography and 25

socioeconomic factors; and 26

(5) examine how residency hiring preferences affect the 27

incidence of diversity in law enforcement agencies. 28

c. Based upon the analysis, the commission shall consider 29

whether the practice of removing eligibles from certain lists based 30

upon residency should be discontinued. 31

d. The commission shall present the analysis to the Governor and 32

to the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 33

(C.52:14-19.1). 34

1e. For the purposes of this section, “law enforcement agency” 35

means and includes any county or municipal police department.1 36

37

2. a. For the purposes of this section, “low-income community” 38

means any population census tract in which: 39

(1) the poverty rate for such tract is at least 20 percent, or 40

(2) (a) in the case of a tract not located within a metropolitan 41

area, the median family income for such tract does not exceed 80 42

percent of statewide median family income, or 43

(b) in the case of a tract located within a metropolitan area, the 44

median family income for such tract does not exceed 80 percent of 45

31


3

the greater of statewide median family income or the metropolitan 1

area median family income. 2

b. The Civil Service Commission shall create a program with a 3

goal of achieving at least one of the following two objectives: 4

(1) sponsoring free or low-cost preparatory courses for the entry 5

level law enforcement examination for residents of any low-income 6

community or of any municipality in this State with at least one 7

“qualified opportunity zone” as determined under 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-8

1; or 9

(2) providing, securing, or identifying scholarships for alternate 10

route programs or preparatory courses for the entry level law 11

enforcement examination for residents of any low-income 12

community or of any municipality in this State with at least one 13

“qualified opportunity zone” as determined under 26 U.S.C. 1400Z-14

1. 15

The commission, or a designee thereof, is authorized to receive 16

gifts, grants, or other financial assistance from private sources for 17

the purpose of sponsoring the courses or funding the scholarships 18

offered pursuant to this section, and entering into agreements 19

related thereto with private sources, including but not limited to 20

non-governmental, non-profit, educational, or charitable entities or 21

institutions. 22

c. The commission may promulgate regulations to effectuate the 23

provisions of this section which shall be effective immediately upon 24

filing with the Office of Administrative Law for a period not to 25

exceed 18 months, and may, thereafter, be amended, adopted or 26

readopted in accordance with the provisions of the “Administrative 27

Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.). 28

29

3. This act shall take effect immediately. 30

32


[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2766



Sponsored by:




District 28 (Essex)



Assemblywoman ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT

District 31 (Hudson)

Assemblyman GORDON M. JOHNSON


Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Turner, Greenstein, Pou, Singleton, Assemblywomen Speight,

Murphy, Carter, Vainieri Huttle, Timberlake, Assemblyman Houghtaling,

Assemblywoman Swain and Assemblyman Tully

SYNOPSIS

Requires Civil Service Commission establish mentoring program for

certain civil service law enforcement applicants.



33


2



Matter underlined thus is new matter.


1Senate SLP committee amendments adopted August 25, 2020.


AN ACT requiring the Civil Service Commission to establish a 1

mentoring program to assist certain applicants for civil service 2

employment1[,]1 and supplementing chapter 7 of Title 11A of 3

the New Jersey Statutes. 4

5


of New Jersey: 7

8

1. a. Notwithstanding any law, rule1,1 or regulation to the contrary, 9

the Civil Service Commission shall establish and maintain a mentoring 10

program for 2[minority]2 civil service law enforcement applicants 11

2who reside in a municipality with a median income at or below 250 12

percent of the federal poverty level. The program shall be expanded to 13

minority applicants if the results of a properly conducted disparity 14

study demonstrate particularized findings of past discrimination and 15

the program is narrowly tailored to remedy that past discrimination2. 16

The purpose of the mentoring program shall be to assist 17 2[minority]2 law enforcement applicants through the civil service 18

application and selection process1[,]1 and to help address obstacles 19

unique to their circumstances. The program may be conducted 20

through mentoring projects, including workshops, group discussions, 21

and dissemination of information about civil service practices which 22

provide assistance in overcoming barriers to employment. 2The 23

program shall be designed to provide a mentor to an applicant for the 24

duration of the exam cycle, until the mentee completes the hiring 25

process.2 26

b. As used in this act: 27

“Mentee” means a civil service law enforcement applicant 28

participating in the mentoring program established pursuant to 29 1[section] subsection1 a. of this 1[act] section1. 30

"Mentor" means a volunteer who agrees to participate in the 31

mentoring program established pursuant to 1[section] subsection1 a. of 32

this 1[act] section1. A mentor may be a current law enforcement 33

officer in good standing who obtained 1[his or her] the1 current law 34

enforcement position through the civil service process, a former law 35

enforcement officer who retired or resigned in good standing who 36

obtained 1[his or her] the1 law enforcement position through the civil 37

service process, or any other person deemed appropriate by the Civil 38

Service Commission. 39

c. The Civil Service Commission shall develop criteria to 40

determine eligibility in the mentoring program as a mentor and as a 41

mentee. 1[No monies] Monies1 shall 1not1 be provided to a mentor to 42

participate in the program1[,]1 and 1[no]1 fees shall 1not1 be charged 43

to a mentee to participate in the program. When possible, the mentor 44

shall be of the same racial or ethnic background as the mentee. 45

34


3

d. A mentor or mentee may be removed from the program for 1

good cause as determined by the Civil Service Commission. A mentee 2

shall be removed from the program upon the mentee’s acceptance of 3

an offer of employment. An applicant may participate in the program 4

as a mentee a maximum of three times within a 1[ten] 101 year period. 5

After successfully completing the program, a former mentee may be 6

eligible to participate in the program as a mentor. 7

e. At least once a year, the Civil Service Commission shall review 8

the mentoring program for its efficacy, and make any necessary 9

adjustments to continue to meet the needs and purpose of the program. 10

f. The Civil Service Commission shall develop rules and 11

regulations to effectuate the purposes of 1[this act,]1 P.L. , c. 12

1(C. )1 (pending before the Legislature as this bill). 13

14

2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the 2[sixth] 15

eighteenth2 month next following enactment, except the Civil 16

Service Commission may take any anticipatory administrative 17

action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of 18

this act. 19

35


[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 2767



Sponsored by:

Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN

District 20 (Union)


District 28 (Essex)



Senator M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)



Assemblywoman LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)

Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE


Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Pou, Turner, Greenstein, Assemblywoman Murphy,

Assemblyman Tully and Assemblywoman Swain

SYNOPSIS

Establishes database to aid in civil service hiring process for certain law

enforcement officers; requires Statewide diversity analysis of law enforcement.



36

S2767 [2R] CRYAN, RICE

2



Matter underlined thus is new matter.


1Senate floor amendments adopted August 27, 2020.


AN ACT establishing an 2[oversight]2 database to aid in the civil 1

service hiring process for 2certain2 law enforcement officers and 2

requiring a Statewide diversity analysis of law enforcement, and 3

supplementing Title 11A of the New Jersey Statutes. 4

5


of New Jersey: 7

8

1. a. The Civil Service Commission shall oversee 2and manage2 9

the development and maintenance of a database, which shall collect 10

and track the background information received from a law 11

enforcement agency of the State, or a political subdivision of the State 12

that has adopted the provisions of Title 11A of the New Jersey 13

Statutes, regarding candidates for the position of 2entry-level2 law 14

enforcement officer 2in any county or municipal police department. 15

All such law enforcement agencies shall participate and provide to the 16

commission any requested information2. 17

b. The database shall be considered confidential and shall be used 18

only by the commission and participating law enforcement agencies 19

across the State. The database shall not be subject to public access, 20

inspection, or copying pursuant to P.L.1963, c.73 (C.47:1A-1 et 21

seq.)1[, or the common law concerning access to public records]1. 22

c. (1) The information maintained in the database shall be 23

determined by the commission, in consultation with various national 24

and State law enforcement organizations, and shall include: 25

(a) all background information received from all candidates; and 26

(b) threshold decisions made for selection or disqualification of 27

candidates by law enforcement agencies. 28

(2) The information maintained in the database shall exclude 29

personal identifying information of candidates to prevent 30

compromising personal privacy and security and to ensure a non-31

biased selection process. 32

d. The commission, in consultation with various national and State 33

law enforcement organizations, shall develop universal guidelines and 34

best practices for background investigations relating to threshold 35

decisions for removal from the candidate list. The guidelines and best 36

practices shall include training for background investigations to better 37

understand the challenges underrepresented groups disproportionately 38

face to prevent a failure to adequately account for such challenges 39

during the selection or disqualification process. 40

e. The commission, in consultation with various national and State 41

law enforcement organizations, 2local appointing authorities, and 42

applicable employee collective negotiations agents,2 shall establish a 43

universal background application to be utilized in the hiring process 44

37


3

for police officers by all law enforcement agencies. The universal 1

application shall be used to provide the information contained in the 2

database established pursuant to subsection a. of this section. 3

f. The Chair of the Civil Service Commission may adopt rules and 4

regulations to effectuate the provisions of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending 5

before the Legislature as this bill). The rules and regulations shall be 6

effective immediately upon filing with the Office of Administrative 7

Law for a period not to exceed 18 months, and may, thereafter, be 8

amended, adopted or readopted in accordance with the provisions of 9

the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et 10

seq.). 11

g. As used in this section: 12

2“Law enforcement agency” means and includes any county or 13

municipal police department.2 14

“National and State law enforcement organizations” means 15

organizations such as the National Organization of Black Law 16

Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the New Jersey chapter of 17

NOBLE, and the Hispanic American Law Enforcement Association. 18

“Personal identifying information” means information that may be 19

used, alone or in conjunction with any other information, to identify a 20

specific individual and includes, but is not limited to, the name, 21

address, e-mail address, social media address, telephone number, fax 22

number, date of birth, social security number, driver's license number, 23

official State issued identification number, employer or taxpayer 24

number, place of employment, telephone number of employment, 25

employee identification number, school address, school phone number, 26

student identification number, mother's maiden name, unique 27

biometric data, such as fingerprint, voice print, retina, or iris image, or 28

other unique physical representation, unique electronic identification 29

number, medical diagnoses, treatments, or other medical information 30

concerning an identifiable person. 31

32

2. Timely notifications of candidate status and certification 33

notifications shall be disseminated by the Civil Service Commission 34

electronically via 2mail,2 e-mail or text message, dependent on the 35

candidate’s preferred option, to be indicated on the universal 36

application established pursuant to subsection e. of section 1 of P.L. , 37

c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill). Responses 38

from candidates to certification notifications shall be submitted 39

electronically to the commission via e-mail 2or by mail2. Status 40

notifications and certifications from the commission and responses 41

from candidates shall be accurately logged and received in the 42

database established pursuant to subsection a. of section 1 of P.L. , c. 43

(C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill). 44

45

3. a. The 2[Division of Equal Employment Opportunity and 46

Affirmative Action in the]2 Civil Service Commission, in consultation 47

38


4

with various national and State law enforcement agencies, as defined 1

in section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this 2

bill), shall conduct 2, or select a qualified vendor to conduct,2 a 3

Statewide diversity analysis of the ethnic and racial make-up of all law 4

enforcement agencies in the State. 5

2All law enforcement agencies in this State shall participate and 6

provide to the commission any requested information, whether or not 7

the agency operates pursuant to the provisions of Title 11A of the New 8

Jersey Statutes.2 9

b. The 2[division] commission2 shall prepare and submit a 10

written report within one year of 2[the effective date of this act,] 11

completion of the study2 to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of 12

P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature. 13

14

4. This act shall take effect immediately. 15

39

Sample Response #1

SLEO, Agent, Clerk, Other Civilian Employee, Police Officer (Non Civil Service) Dear XXXX:

Thank you for contacting the ABC Police Department and expressing interest in employment as a (Special Law Enforcement Officer Dispatcher Police Clerk). There are currently no vacancies for this position. I have forwarded your application or letter of interest to our Human Resources Department (Or wherever your applications are saved) where your application will remain on file for a period of one year (Specifiy your agency specific terms here).

Please be sure to visit our website, (Insert website here), and follow us on (Insert social media platforms here).

I want to encourage you to also receive important community information from the ABC Police Department. In this age of instant communication, the ABC Police Department strives to contact residents instantly to inform them of road closures, safety warnings, community safety bulletins, community events, and media release information. Please visit (Insert specific notification registry information here, if applicable). Attached is our recruitment brochure that describes various positions within the ABC Police Department.

Again, thank you for contacting us, and I wish you the best in your endeavor to work in the law enforcement field.

Sincerely,

(Indicate person responsible for issuing and signing letter)

40

Sample Response #2 Police Officer (Civil Service)

Dear XXXX:

Thank you for contacting the ABC Police Department and expressing interest in employment as a Police Officer. Please know that the ABC Police Department hires police officers on the basis of a police officer examination administered by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. I suggest you frequently visit the New Jersey Civil Service Commission website for testing announcements, www.state.nj.us/csc/

Please be sure to visit our website, (Insert agency website), and follow us on (Insert applicable social media platforms).

I want to encourage you to also receive important community information from the ABC Police Department. In this age of instant communication, the ABC Police Department strives to contact residents instantly to inform them of road closures, safety warnings, community safety bulletins, community events, and media release information. Please visit (Insert specific notification registry information here, if applicable). Attached is our recruitment brochure that describes various positions within the ABC Police Department.

Again, thank you for contacting us, and I wish you the best in your endeavor to work in the law enforcement field.

Sincerely,


41

http://www.state.nj.us/csc/

Sample Response # 3 Application Received - No Interview Offered

SLEO, Agent, Clerk, Other Civilian Employee, Police Officer (Non Civil Service)

Date

Name of Applicant Applicant's Address City, State, Zip Code

Dear (Applicant's Name):

Thank you for your application for the position of (Insert specific position here) Please know that we have received a significant number of applications and you have not been selected for an interview for this position at this time.

Your application will remain on file with our Human Resources Department (List applicable position or person responsible here) for a period of one year (List your agency’s specific time period here in consulation with your municipal attorney) and you may be considered for any similar available positions that may become available. I also encourage you to apply for future openings for which you may qualify. Attached is our recruitment brochure that describes various positions within the ABC Police Department.

I wish you success with your search for employment. Thank you for your interest in the ABC Police Department and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,


42

Sample Job Duties: Police Officer and SLEO 2

The below job duties list of essential functions is for sample purposes only. Any

agency specific job duties/essential functions should be approved by your government body and municipal attorney.

The following is a list of essential functions that describe the daily routine of a Police Officer or Special Law Enforcement, Class Two, that you will be expected to perform: This list of job duties is not all inclusive and does not describe or detail every type of job a Police Officer must perform.

Knowledge and Abilities

Exercise independent judgment in determining when there is reasonable suspicion to detain, when probable cause exists to search and/or arrest, and when force may be used and to what degree.

Endure verbal, mental, and physical abuse, including threats, taunts, and insults to self, family, and fellow officers while maintaining appropriate composure and authority.

While maintaining appropriate composure and reserve, deal compassionately with crime victims, accident victims, disaster victims, and their families; with incidents of suicide and domestic violence.

Engage in routine and special training to with respect to reinforcing current knowledge as well as learning new skills and methods to achieve Departmental Goals.

Foster and support positive police-community relations by participating in formal and informal on-duty activities designed to bring officers into positive contact with the public.

Interact with the public in a manner designed to demonstrate that police officers are also members of the communities they serve and protect.

Engage in formal and informal on-duty activities designed to engage with local youth to promote positive police-community relations and foster cooperation and respect between law enforcement and the community we serve.

Engage in formal and informal on-duty activities designed to build trust between the police department and minority groups within the community.

Engage in training and other activities designed to enhance the officer’s ability to demonstrate and model fair and impartial treatment of citizens during all aspects to an officer’s interactions with the public.

Maintain an understanding that police officers are charged with serving an entire community and effective policing requires the support, trust and active cooperation of the broad cross section of a diverse community.

43

Walk, sometimes for long periods of time, in extreme weather conditions, in physically hazardous locations.

Run, sometimes sprinting at a high rate of speed for a short distance, in extreme weather conditions, and/or in physically hazardous locations.

Ascend or descend stairs.

Climb over, pull up over, and jump over obstacles.

Jump down from elevated surfaces or areas.

Climb or crawl through openings.

Crawl under obstructions or in confined areas.

Balance on uneven or narrow surfaces.

Use body force to gain entrance or break through barriers.

Push objects, vehicles, or persons.

Pull objects or persons. Lift or carry objects or persons.

Drag objects or persons.

Sit or stand for extended periods of time. Employ defensive tactics, using balance, leverage, concentration of power, and opponent’s power.

Swim.

Maintain mental alertness and readiness to act, even during periods of calm and inactivity.

Work rotating shifts and adapt to irregular working conditions.

Communicate effectively in court and in other formal settings. Communicate effectively with people, including juveniles, by giving information and direction, by eliciting information, and by advising people of rights, processes, and procedures.

Integrate individual activities and goals with the efforts of other members of the law enforcement community for the promotion of common goals and objectives.

Mediate disputes and confrontations with hostile and potentially violent individuals.

Gather information by observation of behavior, visual inspection, and oral communication; determine what information is significant; assess a situation based on that information; and exercise independent judgment to make decisions concerning choice of action and equipment. 44

Perform a variety of tasks involving different and sometimes contrasting skills in rapid succession during a short period of time.

General Patrol / Service Calls:

Operate a motor vehicle, during the day or at night, in emergency situations, at high rates of speed, on the open road or in congested traffic, in unsafe conditions caused by factors such as fog, smoke, rain, ice, or snow.

Transport citizens, prisoners, and committed mental patients, using handcuffs and other restraints, when appropriate.

Conduct visual and audio surveillance.

Operate a fire extinguisher.

Fingerprint, photograph, and videotape individuals, objects, and scenes.

Identify, collect, label, and preserve evidence.

Traffic Control and Enforcement of Traffic Laws:

Issue summonses.

Direct traffic, sometimes for long periods of time, using hand signals, flares, barricades, etc. Observe, record, recall, and report incidents and information.

Operate radar equipment. Administer field sobriety tests.

Arrests:

Detain individuals. Stop suspicious individuals and vehicles.

Pursue fleeing suspects, in a vehicle, or on foot.

Disarm persons.

Restrain or subdue resisting suspects. Effectuate a full physical custody arrest, forcibly if necessary, using handcuffs and other restraints.

Handle and control arrested persons and prisoners.

Conduct cell block operations. Service Calls: 45

Stand guard at the scene of a crime, emergency, or disaster to prevent damage, loss, or injury.

Control crowds.

Secure and evacuate persons from particular areas, using either verbal commands or the appropriate degree of physical force.

Perform rescue and support functions at the scenes of accidents, emergencies, and disasters.

Administer emergency first aid.

Physically check buildings, including doors and windows, to insure they are secure. Remediate hazardous conditions by direct action or notification of appropriate authority or agency.

Perform searches of people, vehicles, buildings, and large outdoor areas, which may involve seeing, feeling, and detecting objects, and walking for long periods of time.

Search for missing, wanted, or lost persons and evidence.

Supportive Duties:

Load, unload, aim, and fire a handgun and shotgun in day and night conditions from a variety of body positions at the proficiency level required by qualification standards.

Process arrested persons, which includes examining documents, communicating verbally, and eliciting and recording information.

Understand and follow orders, policies, and procedures.

Accept direction and function cooperatively as one member of a unit.

Communicate effectively verbally and in writing, detailing incidents and activities of those involved.

Prepare written investigative and other reports, including sketches, using appropriate grammar, symbols, and mathematical computations.

Read and comprehend legal and non-legal documents, including the preparation and processing of documents such as summonses, affidavits, and warrants.

46

New Jersey Civil Service Commission Police Officer Job Specification

The below job specification should be reviewed with your municipal attorney as these regulations may change over time.

POLICE OFFICER DEFINITION During an assigned tour of duty, on foot, or in an automobile, patrols a designated area to provide assistance and protection for persons, to safeguard property, to assure observance of the law, and to apprehend law-breakers; does related work as required. NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. NOTE: Appointments may be made to positions requiring bilingual skills. 07776- Bilingual in Korean and English. SPECIAL SKILL Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in Korean and English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. 02729- Bilingual in Spanish and English. SPECIAL SKILL Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in Spanish and English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. EXAMPLES OF WORK PREPARATION FOR WORK Attends roll call in proper uniform, listening to information and assignments given orally, and reads "squeal sheet," bulletin board, and/or logs of previous shifts, in order to establish presence, receive assignments, and to maintain continuity of service or action. Gathers together necessary equipment such as shotgun, flashlight, and summons books, etc., in order to be prepared for duty. Inspects and maintains patrol car by visually checking and/or operating all equipment, by arranging for washing, waxing, and mechanical service, and by taking patrol car to service location in order to insure that vehicle is ready for patrol. Inventories and maintains equipment carried in patrol car such as first aid kit, oxygen supply, blanket, flares, etc., by utilizing an equipment check list, and by replacing missing or damaged items in order to assure readiness for patrol. Maintains issued uniform and weapons, by arranging for cleaning and reassembling firearms in order to assure their proper appearance and serviceability. FIGHTS AND DOMESTIC DISPUTES 47

Separates parties involved in a fight situation by physically intervening or escorting one party out of reach of the other, in order to prevent injury to any of the parties involved. Attempts to calm parties involved in a fight situation by asking each party to tell or discuss his or her side, in order to gain control of the situation. Discusses possible solutions with parties involved in a dispute by referring parties to appropriate services and explaining legal recourse, in order to fully resolve the dispute or prevent its recurrence. Arrests one or more parties in a fight situation, by using standard procedures, in order to restore peace. GENERAL PATROL Patrols throughout assigned area either on foot or in patrol car, looking for anything unusual in order to increase patrol visibility and prevent crime, or to discover crime in progress. Maintains radio communications with headquarters by operating a portable radio or patrol car radio in order to facilitate patrol activities. Assesses situations by utilizing information received from the dispatcher and by visually and orally inspecting premises and surrounding environment in order to make decisions concerning choice of actions and equipment. Issues summonses for various violations of municipal ordinances and state laws by writing the required information on summons and delivering a copy to the accused, in order to enforce the law. Facilitates the remediation of miscellaneous hazardous conditions (e.g., road obstructions, malfunctioning signals, etc.) by direct action or by notifying appropriate agencies, in order to restore safe conditions in the assigned sector. Maintains surveillance of persons suspected of unlawful activity and notifies supervisor, or detectives of important information, in order to facilitate the investigative procedure. Reports, or receives description(s) of suspect(s) at large by radio transmission in response to, or back-up for, criminal actions, in order to aid, or to enlist aid of fellow officers in the apprehension of suspects/perpetrators. Following legal guidelines, stops suspicious people, asks them to show identification, and to explain what they are doing in order to detect or prevent a criminal action. Attempts to disarm persons threatening others with a weapon by using calming conversation and obtaining assistance, in order to neutralize a dangerous situation. Secures the scene of a crime, or emergency by blocking off the area with barricades, ropes, etc., and by standing guard in order to prevent damage, loss, or injury. 48

Records patrol activities by filling out log sheet after each call in order to account for actions, mileage, and time on a daily basis. SERVICE CALLS Promotes good will by talking casually with people, answering questions, referring citizens to other services, and learning of situations requiring police action in order to gain the confidence and support of community members. Controls crowd at emergency scene, following established procedures, in order to insure that emergency services can be performed quickly and safely. Assists in evacuation of buildings, or areas by orally ordering people to leave or by physically escorting them from the area in order to remove them from danger. Examines ill or injured persons, and administers the appropriate first aid treatment in order to prevent further injury or loss of life. Guards dignitaries by continuously positioning self in a manner to most effectively provide protection in order to assure safe passage through the area. Escorts businessmen to and/or from the bank, and frightened citizens to their destination by taking them in the patrol car, or by walking with them in order to provide protection. Gives assistance to operators of disabled vehicles by repairing vehicle, or obtaining necessary repair service, or by transporting driver and occupants to a place where shelter, or assistance can be obtained in order to alleviate a potentially dangerous situation. Returns lost children by interrogating passers-by, and responsible persons in the area where children were discovered in order to restore the children to the custody of their parents or guardians. Transports or escorts intoxicated persons home or to the hospital in order to assure their safety. Blocks suicide attempts by talking to persons threatening and/or attempting suicide, comforting and reassuring them in order to convince them to give up the suicide attempt. Assists citizens in gaining entry to their vehicles or home when a lockout has occurred, using improvised means in order to provide a necessary service. TRAFFIC CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFFIC LAWS Directs, or re-routes vehicle and pedestrian traffic at emergency scenes at high volume traffic locations, and at school crossings, using hand signals, flares, and/or barricades, in order to insure the safety of pedestrians and the smooth flow of traffic. Drives patrol car in an unspecified pattern and at varying speeds in order to increase police visibility and to discourage traffic violations and other such occurrences. 49

Operates radar equipment in patrol unit in order to apprehend speeding law violators. Pursues detected traffic violators by using patrol vehicle and equipment as required in order to apprehend violators. Reports action after apprehending traffic violator to the dispatcher, using the radio in order to communicate the location, request back-up (if required), and to request motor vehicle and warrant check. Interviews or interrogates motor vehicle operators and visually inspects operator's license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance card, in order to obtain information and admission or confession to violations of motor vehicle code. Evaluates statements, facts, and evidence to determine if a traffic ticket should be issued as a result of an operator's actions. Warns motor vehicle operators of observed traffic violations by orally informing them of their actions and explaining related provisions of the motor vehicle code, in order to discourage future violations. Issues traffic summons to observed traffic violators by writing the required information on the summons, giving the violator his copy, and explaining the violation and procedure for compliance, in order to enforce traffic regulations. Observes behavior and administers appropriate test(s) to suspected violators in order to determine whether they are under the influence of drugs, narcotics, or alcohol. MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS Summons ambulance, wrecker, or other emergency equipment needed at an accident scene in order to provide the necessary services as quickly as possible. Protects accident scene from disturbance by appropriately positioning police car and by lighting and placing flares at strategic locations in order to divert traffic and to prevent further destruction, or removal of evidence. Removes (or assists in removing) dead or injured from wrecked and/or overturned vehicles by manually lifting them. Transports motor vehicle accident victims to the hospital when no other emergency vehicle is available in order to minimize time lost in receiving necessary medical treatment. Identifies, protects, and documents any short-lived evidence found at the accident scene, using approved departmental procedures in order to prevent evidence from being overlooked or destroyed. Inspects and/or operates devices (lights, brakes, steering, tires, etc.), of vehicles involved in accidents to determine if their operating condition contributed to the cause of the accident. 50

At the scene of a motor vehicle accident, interviews operators, occupants, and witnesses, using simple interviewing techniques and writing notes of important information in order to help determine how, when, and why the accident occurred. Explains procedures that motor vehicle operators should follow concerning insurance claims and filing accident forms. Evaluates statements, facts, and evidence gathered at a motor vehicle accident scene in order to determine if a summons should be issued. Measures the distance from the accident vehicles and markings made by the vehicles to fixed points (mile post markers, nearest intersection, city limits, etc.), using a tape measure, or measuring wheel in order to determine the exact location, and possible cause of the accident. Sketches a rough diagram of the accident scene, showing movement of vehicles and pedestrians before and after impact and location of physical evidence in order to record this information for future investigation. Completes accident report forms by printing or typing data gained from accident investigation (including a short narrative and a diagram of the accident) in order to officially record the results of the investigation and to provide information to all parties involved. Transports blood or urine samples of motor vehicle operators to police labs in cases of suspicious auto accidents in order to obtain evidence as to whether the operator was driving under the influence of drugs or narcotics. INVESTIGATIONS Locates and interrogates available witnesses after an incident by talking with people in the area in order to obtain information for further investigation. Make notes of activities and facts of initial investigations in order to record information for future reference. Collects and labels evidence taken from the crime scene, using approved departmental procedures, in order to preserve evidence. Relates suspicious activities and other important information to detectives by direct or written communication in order to facilitate the investigative process. Takes photographs, or directs a photographer to take specific pictures at a crime scene in order to establish visual evidence. Searches property involved in criminal incidents by visual inspection and by disassembling property items when necessary in order to discover dangerous objects, missing items, or other evidence. 51

Attempts to locate owners of damaged property by utilizing existing records and/or questioning area residents in order to inform the owner of the damage and to obtain information. Assists victims in the use of the "mug book" in order to make identification of suspects. Prepares property report on items to be used as evidence in order to document its existence, characteristics, and availability. Prepares investigative reports, or supplements for each phase of an investigation in order to provide an official running record of the investigation. Completes request for examination of evidence forms, including a narrative description of the crime and a checklist of evidence in order to insure a thorough analysis of the evidence. ARRESTS Apprehends and subdues suspects by chasing them on foot, or in patrol car and by using physical force and applying handcuffs, if necessary, in order to take suspect into custody and to prevent injury to the officer or others. Searches the body and clothing of suspects for possible weapons, using visual and physical means in order to insure the safety of the officer and others. Transports arrested persons to headquarters, or detention facility, using handcuffs and other security measures necessary in order to book them according to proper procedures. Advises parents of juvenile offenders in custody of procedures relative to the case in order to insure that parents understand their responsibilities. Refers juvenile cases to the Youth Officer (juvenile department) by submitting known details in order to have the case handled by appropriately trained personnel. Reads "Constitutional Rights" to suspect and obtains signature from suspect on the written statement of the rights in order to affect a lawful arrest. Identifies suspect by inspecting his driver's license or similar document(s) in order to assist in determining if suspect has a prior arrest on record. Fingerprints and/or photographs violators or suspects using equipment at the I.D. station, in order to process a standard arrest. Operates a video recorder on persons arrested for drunkenness or narcotics use in order to have a record of behavior as evidence. 52

Completes reports necessary to substantiate an arrest by printing, or typing all required information (including a narrative description) on appropriate forms in order to document an arrest. Contacts appropriate court authority by telephone in order to determine the amount of bail or bond required to release the accused. Transports arrested persons according to appropriate criminal code (juvenile, adult, female, etc.) in order to situate detained parties at required locations. COURT TESTIMONY: PREPARATION AND APPEARANCE Prepares to testify in court by collecting documents, reports and other evidence related to the case, reading all reports and notes, and talking with other officers, supervisors, solicitors, and witnesses, in order to insure accuracy and effectiveness of testimony. Notifies and/or subpoenas witnesses and victims of crime before scheduled court hearings to insure their availability to testify. Testifies in court by presenting facts and/or evidence related to the case and by answering attorney's and magistrate's questions in order to help insure the proper disposition of the case. SUPPORTIVE DUTIES Process incoming calls by listening to caller and identifying important information, determining what action to take (i.e., dispatching a patrol car to investigate, or referring caller to another agency) and initiating this action in order to insure an appropriate response. Dispatches patrol cars via radio by selecting and contacting available units and by transmitting the location and nature of problem to the selected cars in order to respond to incoming calls, or to provide support for primary units. Maintains log of all incoming calls and radio transmissions by recording information (i.e., time call is received, unit dispatched, unit arrives, unit leaves, and location and nature of emergency) on appropriate forms in order to provide documentation of activities. Operates computer terminal by entering or reading information on screen in order to transmit, or to receive data from N.C.I.C, S.C.I.C., or other central information source. Guards prisoners and arrested persons by appropriately positioning self in relation to prisoners, and by using handcuffs when necessary in order to prevent escape and to protect the prisoners from harm. Makes a check of jailed prisoners by touring the facility at regular time intervals, and by making a notation on each cell sheet in order to account for the presence and safety of all prisoners. 53

May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. REQUIREMENTS: EDUCATION: Graduation from high school or vocational high school or possession of an approved high school equivalent certificate. AGE: Not less than 18 or more than 35 years of age at the announced closing date for filing applications for the position. In determining maximum age eligibility of veterans, the time spent in active military service during periods specified in Department of Personnel law and rules will be deducted from the attained age. NOTE: Appointees will be required to successfully complete a training program mandated by the New Jersey Police Training Commission within 18 months of appointment. LICENSE: Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position. CITIZENSHIP Must be a citizen of the United States. MEDICAL EXAMINATION As a prerequisite for appointment, appointees may be required to pass a thorough medical and psychiatric examination to be administered by the appointing authority. Any psychological, medical or physical condition or defect which would prevent efficient performance of the duties of the position, cause the appointee to be a hazard to himself/herself or others, or become aggravated as a result of performance of these duties, will be cause for rejection. KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of rules and regulations of the department. Knowledge of personnel and equipment available. Knowledge of the people in the assigned area. Knowledge of public agencies and facilities. Knowledge and awareness of national and local events and how they might affect the job. Knowledge of ways of handling crowd situations. Knowledge of basic first aid. Knowledge of traffic laws and ordinances. 54

Knowledge of and willingness to take proper action in preventing potential accidents from occurring. Knowledge of investigative procedures. Knowledge of officer's role in dealing with emergencies. Knowledge of current laws, procedures, and trends governing search and seizure activities. Knowledge of proper procedure for obtaining a warrant. Knowledge of laws affecting arrest procedures. Knowledge of amount of force required to make arrests. Knowledge of the criminal justice system. Knowledge of the elements of state laws. Knowledge of and ability to effectively use services and equipment available. Knowledge of procedures to follow in dealing with an emergency. Ability to communicate ideas with spoken words. Ability to write clear, and concise letters, reports, descriptions, or instructions. Ability to find general concepts or rules which explain how a given series of individual items are related to each other; it involves the ability to logically proceed from individual cases to general principles. Ability to apply a broad, general idea, or principle effectively, to a particular problem or case. Ability to follow rules and procedures. Ability to gather, organize, and utilize information. Ability to find practical ways of dealing with problems. Ability to read with reasonable speed and understanding so as to absorb written information. Ability to maintain a high level of muscular exertion for some minimum period of time. This involves the degree of muscular force exerted against a fairly immovable or heavy object in order to lift, push, or pull that object. The ability involves the capacity to maintain physical activity over prolonged periods of time. Ability to hold up or move body's own weight repeatedly or at one time without stopping, using the force of arm and trunk muscles. Ability to use the trunk, arms, and legs together in movement. Ability to make gross, rapid, arm movements. 55

Ability to work fast and accurately in situations where there is pressure or emotional strain. Ability to put up with and handle verbal abuse from a person or a group. Ability to work as a member of a group. Ability to take the lead, or take charge when working or dealing with others. Ability to deal with people politely and helpfully beyond the giving and receiving of instructions. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Sample Job Duties: SLEO 1

The following is a list of essential functions that describe the daily routine of a Class I Special Law Enforcement Officer that you will be expected to perform: This list of job duties is not all inclusive and does not describe or detail every type of job a Class I Special Law Enforcement Officer must perform.

Knowledge and Abilities

Walk, sometimes for long periods of time, in extreme weather conditions, in physically hazardous locations.

Run, sometimes sprinting at a high rate of speed for a short distance, in extreme weather conditions, and/or in physically hazardous locations.

Ride a bicycle for long periods of time Ascend or descend stairs.

Climb over, pull up over, and jump over obstacles.

Jump down from elevated surfaces or areas.

56

Climb or crawl through openings.

Crawl under obstructions or in confined areas.

Balance on uneven or narrow surfaces.

Push objects, vehicles, or persons.

Pull objects or persons.

Lift or carry objects or persons.

Drag objects or persons.

Sit or stand for extended periods of time.

Maintain mental alertness and readiness to act, even during periods of calm and inactivity.

Communicate effectively and coherently over telephone, walkie-talkie, or radio, initiating or responding to verbal communications.

Communicate effectively in court and in other formal settings.

Communicate effectively with people, including juveniles, by giving information and direction, by eliciting information, and by advising people of rights, processes, and procedures.

Communicate effectively with individuals in an agitated or distraught condition.

Integrate individual activities and goals with the efforts of other members of the law enforcement community for the promotion of common goals and objectives.

Mediate disputes and confrontations with hostile and potentially violent individuals.

Perform a variety of tasks involving different and sometimes contrasting skills in rapid succession during a short period of time.

Endure verbal, mental, and physical abuse, including threats, taunts, and insults to self, family, and fellow officers while maintaining appropriate composure and authority.

While maintaining appropriate composure and reserve, deal compassionately with crime victims, accident victims, disaster victims, and their families; with incidents of suicide and domestic violence.

Engage in routine and special training to with respect to reinforcing current knowledge as well as learning new skills and methods to achieve Departmental Goals.

Foster and support positive police-community relations by participating in formal and informal on-duty activities designed to bring officers into positive contact with the public.

57

Interact with the public in a manner designed to demonstrate that police officers are also members of the communities they serve and protect.

Engage in formal and informal on-duty activities designed to engage with local youth to promote positive police-community relations and foster cooperation and respect between law enforcement and the community we serve.

Engage in formal and informal on-duty activities designed to build trust between the police department and minority groups within the community.

Engage in training and other activities designed to enhance the officer’s ability to demonstrate and model fair and impartial treatment of citizens during all aspects to an officer’s interactions with the public.

Maintain an understanding that police officers are charged with serving an entire community and effective policing requires the support, trust and active cooperation of the broad cross section of a diverse community.

General Patrol:

Operate a motor vehicle, during the day or at night, in emergency situations, at high rates of speed, on the open road or in congested traffic, in unsafe conditions caused by factors such as fog, smoke, rain, ice, or snow.

Perform law enforcement patrol functions, on foot, or in a vehicle.

Transport citizens, prisoners, and committed mental patients, using handcuffs and other restraints, when appropriate.

Secure the scene of a crime, emergency, or disaster.

Conduct visual and audio surveillance. Operate a fire extinguisher.

Traffic Control and Enforcement of Traffic Laws:

Issue summonses.

Direct traffic, sometimes for long periods of time, using hand signals, flares, barricades, etc. Observe, record, recall, and report incidents and information.

Arrests:

Detain individuals. Restrain or subdue resisting suspects.

Effectuate a full physical custody arrest, forcibly if necessary, using handcuffs and other restraints. Handle and control arrested persons and prisoners.

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Conduct cell block operations.

Service Calls:

Stand guard at the scene of a crime, emergency, or disaster to prevent damage, loss, or injury.

Control crowds.

Secure and evacuate persons from particular areas, using either verbal commands or the appropriate degree of physical force.

Perform rescue and support functions at the scenes of accidents, emergencies, and disasters.

Administer emergency first aid.

Physically check buildings, including doors and windows, to insure they are secure.

Remediate hazardous conditions by direct action or notification of appropriate authority or agency.

Perform searches of people, vehicles, buildings, and large outdoor areas, which may involve seeing, feeling, and detecting objects, and walking for long periods of time.

Search for missing, wanted, or lost persons and evidence.

Supportive Duties:

Understand and follow orders, policies, and procedures. Accept direction and function cooperatively as one member of a unit.

Communicate effectively verbally and in writing, detailing incidents and activities of those involved.

Prepare written investigative and other reports, including sketches, using appropriate grammar, symbols, and mathematical computations.

Read and comprehend legal and non-legal documents, including the preparation and processing of documents such as summonses, affidavits, and warrants.

Agencies leaders may wish to add the job requirements and other essential duties for other positions within the agency in consultation with their municipal

attorney.

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Sample - Career Opportunities Brochure Police Officer (The below paragraph details provisions for a Civil Service agency – agency leaders should consult with their municipal attorney for non-civil service agencies and prior to publishing a brochure for any position The hiring of full time ABC Police Department is administered through the New Jersey Department of Personnel. Police Officer examinations are held periodically by the Department of Personnel and further information regarding testing dates and filing procedures can be found at their website, www.state.nj.us/personnel An announcement that a test is being held for the position of a ABC Police Officer does not mean that officers will be hired. General Requirements, for taking the New Jersey Department of Personnel Examination to be a Police Officer for the ABC Police Department. (The below list is not all inclusive)

• You must be a citizen of the United States. • You must meet the residency requirements – You must be a resident of the ABC

Police Department at the closing date of the application and remain a resident of ABC up to when you are actually hired or the list expires.

• You must be a graduate of high school or vocational high school, or posses an approved high school equivalency certificate.

• You must be no less than eighteen years of age at the announced closing date and no older than thirty-five years of age when you file the application for the examination.

• You are required to undergo both a physical and psychological examination by the appointing authority.

• You must possess a valid New Jersey Driver’s License. • Candidates will be required to undergo an extensive background investigation and

oral review board. • Candidates are required to complete a full time Basic Police Officer Academy

Training course at a Police Academy approved by the New Jersey Police Training Commission.

• Upon graduating the academy, candidates will participate in an intense Field Training Program for approximately 18 weeks (Specify agency specific Field Training Program length) where they will be partnered with officers who have been specially trained to assist officers in preparing for police duty.

Other Police Department Positions: All other Police Department positions require the applicant to be at least eighteen years of age and undergo an extensive criminal background check and oral interview.

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http://www.state.nj.us/personnel

Special Police Officer – Class I Special Police Officers assist with traffic control, court security, security details, park patrol, and transportation of prisoners. Special Police Officers work part time hours only ranging from five to thirty-five hours per week.

• There is no test administered by the New Jersey Department of Personnel. Candidates are hired based on their completion of an application with the ABC Police Department. The requirements to be hired as a Class I Special Officer are generally the same as a regular Police Officer except for the Department of Personnel Testing Process and the type and length of training.

• Candidates will be required to complete Class I Special Officer training approved by the New Jersey Police Training Commission.

• Interested persons may apply at anytime by obtaining an application by (Insert specific agency procedures here).

Crossing Guard

• There is no test administered by the New Jersey Department of Personnel. Candidates are hired based on their completion of an application with the ABC Police Department.

• You must be able to safely assist children cross the street at various locations throughout the community.

• Candidates will undergo training in traffic and pedestrian safety. • Interested persons may apply at any time by (Insert specific agency procedures

here). Police Telecommunicator (Dispatcher) (If applicable)

• Full time Police Telecommunicator are hired through a testing process administered by the New Jersey Department of Personnel. Information concerning testing announcements can be found at their website, www.state.nj.us/personnel An announcement that a test is being administered does not mean that Police Telecommunicators are being hired.

• The ABC Police Department utilizes Part Time Police Telecommunicator to assist in Dispatcher coverage in the Police Communications Center. Interested persons may apply at any time by (Insert specific agency procedures here).

• Both full time and part time Police Communicators undergo extensive training. List other agency applicable positions that may be specific to the agency

The ABC Police Department is an equal opportunity employer.

Personnel and Hiring Practices of the Town of ABC are governed by (Insert any local applicable ordinances or regulations that govern hiring)

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http://www.state.nj.us/personnel

sample recruitment policy supplemental resource considerations

Documents