If you haven’t seen the new video featuring our police assessment products, then you’re missing out on pure animated awesomeness!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09J3nV1m4tg
Want to know more about IPMA-HR’s line of police assessment products? Visit us online!
On November 14, Ben Haiman, executive director, Professional Development Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., led a webinar, “Best Practices in Police Recruitment: How the Metropolitan Police Department Continues to Thrive in a Challenging Environment,” sponsored by IPMA-HR’s Assessment Services Department. Following are some of the highlights from Haiman’s talk. IPMA-HR members can access the full archived webinar through our Webinar Library.
Want to know more? Listen to the entire webinar online. Not a member? Become one!
They may not be of a baby panda sneezing, but they’re still pretty awesome! Take a few minutes to check out our new “everything you wanted to know about IPMA-HR’s assessment products in two minutes” video and our new “everything you wanted to know about IPMA-HR’s fire service products in just over a minute” video. You won’t regret it. We promise, it’s better than “CATS.”
Budgeting to meet the needs of the community.
“The biggest challenge we face in the Central Valley is our budget. It’s a constant struggle to maintain the resources we need to serve our community.
“One step we’re taking to address this is fire regionalization. Two other agencies are now contracting with the Modesto Fire Department for fire services, so we’ll realize some savings and see some revenue from that.”
Recruiting is not a problem here.
“We do well with recruitment. Interest in the fire service is strong in California. We provide potential firefighters many educational opportunities, and the job itself has a lot of natural publicity that comes with it.
“Modesto also offers an explorer program for students ages 16-20 that’s affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, and several of our employees have graduated from that program.”
It’s all about the moments.
“There’s no one rewarding moment in my career. For me, it’s all about the opportunities when you get to see that your actions affected someone’s life in a positive way. As the chief, I am honored to engage with the public and support our firefighters and the difference they make.”
The fire service is in my blood.
“I’m a fourth-generation firefighter. My great grandfather was a firefighter in Oregon, my grandfather served in Monterey, Calif., and my dad served in Sacramento. And, my son is now in the fire science program Sierra College.”
We hope the community recognizes the toll the job takes on us.
“This is a very demanding job. One concern of ours is that the community doesn’t recognize the toll it takes on us — the toll it takes on our mental health … Suicides outpaced line-of-duty deaths in the fire service last year. We see horrific scenes, and when you’re talking about a 30-year career, it just keeps building up.
“We’re paying a lot of attention to the mental health of our department. To that end, we’ve added a behavioral health specialist to our staff and instituted a health and wellness program to ensure everyone gets the help they need, whether it’s with home or work.”
Cancer rates are much higher for the fire service.
“We also started a cancer reduction program. There are many dangers that are visible, but it’s the dangers we don’t see that are really affecting us. The chemicals associated with the fires we go to are really dangerous, even at a house fire.
“As a result, the cancer rates are much higher for the fire service. We’re taking steps to reduce exposure, including emergency decontamination, cleaning equipment and clothing in an extractor, showering immediately after a call, etc.”
Getting kids involved.
“We also started a hands-only CPR program in which we taught every middle school kid in the city how to recognize the need for and initiate CPR. We’re now going to the high schools also.”
-Chief Alan Ernst, Modesto Fire Department, California
Woohoo! The new Assessment Services catalog is available online for viewing — or download your very own copy! What’s new? SO MUCH! I can’t even tell you how cool it is. You really should see for yourself.
Well, okay, here’s a sneak peak: new tests (paging Public Works …), new services (I can take my test from where?!), new and updated publications (setting that passpoint like a pro now!) and new ways to communicate with you (your awesome sense of humor is now available on social media?!) — oh, my!
Check it out! Tell your friends! Tell your dog! Tell your friends and your dog. It’s that awesome.
We’ve expanded our products and services to serve you better! Here’s what’s new:
Follow the links above to learn more, or call us at: 1-800-381-TEST (8378).
The opioid epidemic and succession planning are my two top concerns right now.
In Sagadahoc County, the opioid epidemic is of real concern. There are a lot of issues related to it that require a great deal of our time, from the number of calls we take regarding overdoses, to investigators working on trafficking cases, dealing with the number of people in our jails who are addicted and getting folks into treatment and recovery – it’s a lot for any department.
Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel A. Merry | Image: Bangor Daily News
Succession planning is my top human resources issue. Retirement is the main reason we’re losing people, though we recently lost two transport deputies to the private sector. On the patrol side, we’ve had a very stable workforce, but we do have some pending retirements. This concerns me due to what my fellow law enforcement administrators are going through with recruiting. It’s a real concern. When I started my career in law enforcement 35 years ago, it was so competitive that I didn’t get my first two attempts.
We’re answering the call with life-saving aid, aggressive tactics, education and recovery.
Sagadahoc County is one of the first agencies to start carrying Narcan in Maine. We did this because we service a lot of small rural communities where EMS are 15-30 minutes away. Having a deputy with AEDs and Narcan can save a life.
The other thing we’ve done is get more aggressive on the law enforcement side trying to eradicate the traffickers and educate the public. We’ve trained patrol in interdiction strategies and we work closely with MDEA (Maine Drug Enforcement Administration) on public awareness, as well as some diversion tactics.
The tactic I’m most proud of is one where we connect people with a recovery coach and group counseling. Our programs deputy carries a caseload of 7-15 folks who are required to check in every night and meet with him face-to-face once a week. They are also subject to random drug testing and need to be employed or looking. We want to hold them accountable. It’s another level of probation and provides additional support to the probation office to help keep them on the right track.
Thinking ahead, we’re providing leadership training, adding specializations, and performing youth outreach.
Everyone who applies for a promotional position gets to attend a leadership training program through Granite State Police Career Counseling. It consists of a one-day leadership course and a three-day course on supervision, teaching them what supervision is within an agency, what does it mean and how will your role change as a supervisor.
Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Dept. attending a You Matter event at Woolwich Central School. The officers greet students as they arrive.
We’re also adding in some specializations to build skills and to help keep our deputies interested in this agency. To that end, we recently restarted a K-9 program, and we have another deputy who is specializing in accident reconstruction.
We have done some youth outreach, including Project ALERT, which is similar to DARE. Prevention work is something I would like to do more of. I’ve toyed with the idea of a visitation program such as deputies stopping by schools to say hello and have lunch with the kids.
9/11 was a defining moment in my career.
One of the defining moments of my career came when I was a lieutenant with the Bath Police Department. My chief at the time was away attending the FBI academy, which corresponded with 9/11. A lot of things were fast moving. There were so many unknowns: are we a target, are we next?
The USS Zumwalt at Bath Iron Works. Image: Bangor Daily News
In Bath we have Bath Iron Works, which is a major U.S. shipyard and producer of naval ships. We had a lot of protocols around that – we had to provide guards 24/7 to protect the military assets. We were working very closely with neighboring law enforcement departments and built strong partnerships during that time.
Working with other agencies in both the private and public sector, I had to learn a lot of communication skills very quickly and make sure information was being shared — that I was communicating with all stakeholders. I had to focus. It provided me with insight into what leadership needs to be: As a leader, you have to be thinking about the now and what happens tomorrow at the same time.
We care.
What is the one thing I’d want our community to know about law enforcement? We care. We really do care about the health and well-being of our community.
Our communities are a great place to live, work and play, and as members of law enforcement, we work hard to keep them as safe as possible so people can live without fear and enjoy their lives.
-Sheriff Joel Merry, Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, Maine
This article originally appeared in IPMA-HR’s monthly magazine, HR News.
It seems you can’t open a newspaper or turn on the news without hearing a story about the hiring crisis in law enforcement. There’s no way around it: departments nationwide – from large metropolitan areas to small town America – are embroiled in a crisis-level hiring shortage.
The reasons for it are many, and none of them easily surmountable. It starts with large numbers of baby boomers retiring and a robust economy – officers who leave before retirement are often moving to the private sector for better pay, better hours and less stress.
The thriving economy also provides much more opportunity for those entering the workforce. And, given a choice between a job known for its high-stress, low-pay and nontraditional work hours, a 9-5, Monday-Friday in the private sector seems the obvious choice for many.
Then there’s the undeniable sullied image of the profession. Where once choosing a career in law enforcement was akin to that of superhero, now a solid percentage (34 percent, according to Pew Research Center) of the public hold a neutral or negative view of the badge and the people behind it. Among minorities, the number trends much higher.
The Millennial generation is also of a different mindset than any previous generation. They place a much higher value on work-life balance, need greater variety in their work assignments, and aren’t as patient with the lengthy hiring process: “… for some Millennials, there’s an expectation for immediate gratification: instant replies, constant communication. It’s labor intensive for my command staff,” said Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce.
“Today’s recruits are more interested in a work-life balance; they want time off,” said former Deputy Chief John Haas of the Arlington County Police Department. “The four-day workweek is very popular. Departments are going to have to adapt to the Millennial way of thinking and values. This is a different generation.”
And, while the job has always been dangerous, wearing the uniform today carries with it greater risk than in times past. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, there were 135 officers killed in the line of duty in 2016, twenty-one of which were the result of ambush-style attacks – such as the five Dallas police officers who were assassinated – the highest it’s been in over 20 years. If the trend for 2018 continues, the number of officers killed in the line of duty will increase by 13 percent, with 146 officers lost.
Departments are doing their best to maintain the safety of their communities despite the shortage; however, the fact is: open positions create gaps in patrol, leading to slower response times – and less safe communities. Quite simply, the lack of qualified applicants has left departments from coast to coast desperately searching for new and creative ways to recruit – and retain – good officers.
Addressing the issue in the short-term
There are a number of ways in which departments are seeking to address the issue in the short-term:
Small agencies struggling to keep up turn to each other
Small, rural agencies simply can’t compete with the larger agencies in terms of budget or opportunity for advancement or variety of duties (e.g., tactical team, drug task force). In a small department, the loss of even one officer can deal a serious blow. Take Searsport, Maine, where the department is staffed by just three officers: Call the department, and there’s a good chance Chief Dick LaHaye will answer the phone.
In response to the hiring crisis, more small, rural agencies are looking into a merger with surrounding towns. For example, in New York, Spring Valley Police Department is looking into merging with neighboring Clarkstown and Ramapo, and in Maine, a voter referendum question is under review that could result in the merger of the Gouldsboro and Winter Harbor departments.
Other cities contract with neighboring towns or the county. This is the case in Lanesboro and Fountain, Minnesota, where city officials have a contract with the Preston Police Department for law enforcement.
A failsafe, short-term solution doesn’t exist
Departments nationwide are trying everything they can think of to get qualified applicants in the door who truly desire to be in law enforcement. But, try as they may, a failsafe, short-term solution doesn’t exist, according to Haas.
“They have to do more than hang a ‘help wanted’ sign,” said Haas. “It’s going to take time, thinking differently and investing in people early on, especially teens and college students. The agencies that are seeing the most success in hiring are those that have Explorer programs, that have programs and training on college campuses. They get people hooked on the profession early on.”
Programs such as Haas suggested are cropping up in forward-looking departments all across the country.
One constant amid the hiring frenzy
Departments are desperate for good recruits, no question. But there’s one standard that hasn’t changed in the face of the current hiring crisis: Every department from the big to the small wants people who are not only passionate about making a difference in their community, but who are inspired to begin – or maintain – a career in law enforcement.
“Policing isn’t easy,” said Michael Parker, consultant with The Parker Group and retired police commander for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, in a recent Police Magazine article. “People are under distress. Policing provides a great opportunity to help people in a great degree of need. But it’s also very difficult because you are in danger, both physically and emotionally. You really need to look inward to see if this is for you.”
Jenny Donovan is a freelance writer and former police officer who resides in Maine.
From NBC News
WASHINGTON — The House passed The First Step Act — the bipartisan criminal justice reform bill — by an overwhelming margin on Thursday, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.
The House passed the bill by a 358 to 36 margin after the Senate passed it earlier this week by an 87 to 12 margin.
Soon after its passage, Trump tweeted that the measure represented a “great” bipartisan achievement.
Read the full article here.
From the New York Times
WASHINGTON — The Senate overwhelmingly approved on Tuesday the most substantial changes in a generation to the tough-on-crime prison and sentencing laws that ballooned the federal prison population and created a criminal justice system that many conservatives and liberals view as costly and unfair.
The First Step Act would expand job training and other programming aimed at reducing recidivism rates among federal prisoners. It also expands early-release programs and modifies sentencing laws, including mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders, to more equitably punish drug offenders.
But the legislation falls short of benchmarks set by a more expansive overhaul proposed in Congress during Barack Obama’s presidency and of the kinds of changes sought by some liberal and conservative activists targeting mass incarceration.
House leaders have pledged to pass the measure this week, and President Trump, whose support resuscitated a yearslong overhaul effort last month, said he would sign the bill.
Read the full article here. Additionally, the American Jail Association has set up an informational website on the bill.