When the economy turns around will there a significant demand to fill police jobs?

[Ignite]

I guess most departments are running on skin and bones right now, staffing basically the minimum while still being able to operate. Once the economy turns around and there are more funds available, will departments try to bulk up their squads? Would this mean lots and lots of open jobs? Is it idealistic to think this could happen within the next couple of years, or are we a ways off from that?

[Ignite]

I'm thinking this would have fit better in the General Law Enforcement discussion thread.

[vincelli]

There will be a rebound as crime rates are already rising (bad economy coupled with drastic public safety cuts).

That being said, it will take a LONG time for this to happen, and most States have laws stating that those who were laid-off have first-dibs on any position.

-V

[just joe]

Rehiring will be a long and slow process (and for some places, may not happen at all). As vincelli has said, depending on the location, those who have been cut may have reemployment rights. Even when (if) things improve, there are not going to be "lots and lots" of open jobs available.

[Ignite]

So from this point on, the job is going to be very highly competitive?

[just joe]

It has been highly competetive for years. The economy is magnifying that effect.

[mp1161]

Even when funds were not tight and departments wern't as concerned about their budget, departments from my experience don't fully staff vacencies. For some reason or another there are departments out there that roll shorter than what they should.

[LaPlaca]

Its going to take a long time because cities will find out that we step up to the plate no matter what. because we grind it out, cities will find out that they can do the same amount of work with less cops. who cares if we're working 30hrs+ of OT a week? then crime will rise and people will cry out for us once again....wash, rinse, repeat...

[TheKansan]

What I see happening is agencies are reevaluating their staffing needs. many have come to the conclusion that they have too much staff. The result is that there will be fewer positions in LE agencies in the future. However, there will always be some need. The days of agencies running classes non-stop every 6 months is over though.

[PhilipCal]

So from this point on, the job is going to be very highly competitive?

It's highly competitive now. Even with the economy in the crapper, some Departments are still hiring. Many however, have not only stopped hiring, but have even furloughed Officers. I've said this often, so to those of you who've read it before, please bear with me. Even if the economy were to turn around 100% tomorrow, it would take three to four years for hiring to return to pre-recession levels. The ability to hire being based on sustained tax revenues.

[Ignite]

I'll never become a Police Officer. lol

[irish21]

I'll never become a Police Officer. lol

Keep your chin up Ignite. It took me a full 6 months after graduation the police academy to find work.(And that's with work in the Sheriff's Reserves and an associates in C.J.)

In the mean time. Get your degree, get involved with the Reserve Officer programs your community offers, enlist in the military if necessary. If law enforcement is something you truly want to get involved in; don't let anything stop you.

[sigcopper]

There will always be some jobs that will open up. There might not be as many positions to fill. With the Republican Tea Bags demanding leaner government (cuts in governmental positions, pay and retirements) and more gun rights (shoot to kill and ask questions later) you will see fewer police department positions opening up in the future. I could see private security taking over police functions in the future. We already have private security in our courthouses in MN that can make arrests as ordered by the judge. This scares the h$ll out of me (since I have seen some of these guys in action). Good luck Ignite (and looking at your picture....keep your chins up).

Oh, yeah, you need to be doing things that will set yourself apart from others (volunteer work, school, positive work history). Go back to school. Don't stop at an AA either. In my neck of the woods an AA is the minimum. About 80% of the cops in my department have at least a BS and 5% (including me) have gone back to school and obtained their MS. I attended mid level leadership classes about 10 years ago and was stunned as to how many sergeants either had or were working on their MS.

It is my opinion that we, as a profession, need to become more educated. It will be our education that will drive wages for our profession up. A prime example would be MN and its requirements. Prior to the POST board and education requirements officer could qualify for food stamps where I worked (granted this was in the 60s and 70s well befor my time). It was after the AA requirement that wages increased to a liveable wage. But, then on the other hand, I haven't had a pay increase in over 2 years and have lost pay due to the increases in health insurance.

[RGDS]

My Agency has been running Academies every six months for the last 6 years. We are slowing that rate now because we are reaching our staffing levels.

You really need to know the area you are looking at. My agency didn't hire for 10 years. We are paying for that now. The economies of each state will impact their jurisdictions respective hiring.

I seriously doubt Private Security (in the form they are in now) will take over for Sworn Public Law Enforcement. I can see some serious legal issues with this. Now, the PD contracting out to a private firm....maybe. I see more regional consolidation (Sheriff's contracts and State Policing) before Privatization. Recent politic movements still have to content with standing legal doctrine and some of those doctrines are Constitutional in basis and not easily changed.

[Smurfette_76]

They are eliminating jobs at my agency by not filling them when someone leaves. This is being done at the command level, not the road officer level. It's a weird thing because we were far too top heavy, so most of us on the bottom level don't mind because it's STUPID to have 1/3 of your force in command positions (so not kidding). However, we were authorized to have X number of sworn and now that number is dwindling down because positions are being cut out. We are being allowed to fill SOME road positions. We are still 10 less than what we had been allowed. When we dropped another 5, we were allowed to fill those. So here's an agency that is operating fine with FAR less command staff AND ten less officers on the road. It's a double edged sword...when the economy improves, it will be obvious that we've continued to handle business at our current level, so how do you articulate needing to hire more officers?