Enhancing Recruitment for the Baton Rouge Police Department

Abstract

The Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD), like most police departments across the United States, is struggling to recruit new officers. This study examines the ongoing challenges within the BRPD as it develops strategies to transform recruitment, focusing on the department’s difficulties in attracting, recruiting, and retaining recruits. These challenges stem from a shrinking applicant pool, a lengthy onboarding process, and shifting public perceptions of law enforcement. Using a mixed-methods approach, we distributed a climate study, reviewed existing institutional data, conducted qualitative interviews, and administered questionnaires to answer the project’s central question: What internal strategies can the BRPD leverage to effectively transform recruitment? Based on our findings, we recommend enhancing community engagement, empowering current officers as recruiters, streamlining early recruitment stages, and integrating civilian roles to build a more sustainable and resilient recruitment strategy.