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The law enforcement workforce crisis is hollowing out agencies across the country. Seventy percent of agencies report greater difficulty hiring compared to five years ago, dozens of the nation's largest departments have shrunk by 10 percent or more, and resignations and retirements surged by 47 percent and 19 percent respectively between 2020 and 2023. Most officers who leave do so within their first three years. For sheriffs' offices, many serving rural or mid-size jurisdictions with limited budgets, these trends are especially acute.

This session examines the economic, demographic, and institutional forces driving the shortage and offers practical, evidence-based strategies to address it. The presenters will analyze how shifting labor market dynamics, generational workforce expectations, declining public trust, and private-sector competition have fundamentally altered the recruiting landscape.

On recruitment, the session will cover modernizing hiring processes, expanding candidate pools without lowering standards, leveraging employee referral systems, and navigating the expectations of Gen Z and millennial candidates. On retention, which research shows is more cost-effective than recruitment alone, the discussion will address why officers leave, the role of compensation and pension structures, career development and dual-track promotion systems, wellness programs, and managing expectations from the point of hire forward.

The session will also address the risks of lowering hiring standards as a short-term fix, including increased liability exposure and diminished public trust, and will identify emerging federal and state legislative tools that sheriffs can leverage in their own jurisdictions.

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