Weekly Snapshot: March 2, 2016

March 2, 2016

The Weekly Snapshot

Your source for the latest tips, information, and current campus safety resources from the NCCPS.

Recruitment and Retention in Campus Policing

Recruitment and retention of campus security and police officers has long been an issue college and university administrations struggle to effectively address. This is a common challenge that also affects state and municipal law enforcement agencies and much has been written on the topic over the years.

Recruiting and hiring the right officers seems straightforward, but for colleges and universities the ideal profile of a campus security or police officer tends to be somewhat different than that of a traditional law enforcement officer. Typically, campuses look for a candidate that works "well with children or young adults," according to a Campus Safety Magazine article from 2013. A candidate's background does not need to be in law enforcement; it could be in psychology, education, or another field that fits well with the concept of community policing, a policing model commonly used by campus law enforcement. A candidate may ideally be someone with a proactive rather than reactive approach to the job, and someone who is a problem-solver rather than someone who is most interested in making arrests.

Vetting candidates is also a critical part of the hiring process, though most institutions have a rigorous selection process in place between the human resource department and the public safety/police/security department. Conducting appropriate background checks and making sure personalities are the right fit for your existing team and the goals of your institution are an important part of the hiring process.

Once you find the right person, how do you retain them? This continues to be a challenge for colleges and universities of all sizes. In 2010, David Heller, a MS student in criminal justice at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville authored a seminar paper on The Retention of University Police Officers: An Examination of the Causes of Employee Turnover and Recommendations for Administrators (PDF). Key causes for turnover identified in the paper include:

Low pay and benefits (this affects smaller schools more than larger universities) leading to potential work/life balance issues
Poor supervision
Lack of career growth
Insufficient recognition
Inadequate training
Lack of support from administration

These causes are consistent with those affecting law enforcement across the country as well. Addressing these issues can help prevent turnover in campus security and police departments and help retain tomorrow's best and brightest for long-term careers on campus.

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS Office), the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) have all produced publications on recruitment and retention in law enforcement which many may find helpful:

Innovations in Police Recruitment and Hiring (PDF) from the COPS Office: explores five case studies from police departments across the country, including their marketing approaches to hiring.
Police Recruitment and Retention for the New Millennium (PDF) from the COPS Office: addresses concerns such as decreased qualified applicant pool, higher demand, and uncompetitive benefits.
Best Practices Guide: Recruitment, Retention, and Turnover in Law Enforcement (PDF) from IACP: tackles the issues of recruitment and retention including staffing analysis, employer brand, and how to respond to departing officers.
Hiring and Keeping Police Officers (PDF) from NIJ: studies the issues of an unqualified applicant pool, longer training periods as policing has become more complex, and setting hiring standards.

If you're looking to post an open position in your campus' public safety department, the following resources are excellent options that will help you spread the word and expand your pool of applicants:

Opportunity to Host the Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication Educational Program!

The National Center for Campus Public Safety is currently accepting applications from colleges and universities to host its innovative Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication Educational Program (Program). The purpose of this vital Program is to provide college and university administrators involved in investigating and adjudicating sexual misconduct cases information and resources necessary to conduct trauma-informed investigations in line with evolving practices.

Host institutions will receive the following benefits:

Six reserved seats to the four-day Program, three of which will be fully covered by the NCCPS (a value of $5,085)
Promotion of your institution through multiple communication channels from the NCCPS including flyers, social media, email marketing, and website
Promotion of your institution through our partner organizations
Recognition of your institution as a leader in the effort to train campus officials in the curriculum of trauma-informed sexual assault investigation and adjudication, a mandate given to the NCCPS directly from the Not Alone report by the White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault

We are seeking applications from all regions of the United States and from all sizes and types of institutions of higher education. As we expect a large volume of applicants, please apply by March 11, 2016 to be considered. Before submitting your application, please review the information in this memorandum of understanding (PDF form). You may submit your completed application (PDF form) with " Host Institution Application" in the subject line. Please contact us with any questions.

Click to access our online calendar of events.

Professional Development Opportunities

Title: 2016 NASPA Annual Conference

Host: NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education

Dates: March 12-16, 2016

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Fee: Registration fee

Information and Registration

We are pleased to announce that the NCCPS Director, Kim Richmond, will be presenting at this Conference on Bringing a Team Approach to Community-based Campus Safety. Click here for more details.

Title: You Have Options Program Introductory Session

Supported by: You Have Options Program (YHOP)

Dates: April 18-20, 2016 ( Please note: Registration deadline is April 1st)

Location: Central Point, OR

Fee: Registration fee

Information and Registration

Title: Developing Law Enforcement Managers

Host: Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM)

Dates and Locations:

April 25-29, 2016 in Jacksonville, FL
July 11-15, 2016 in Cape Coral, FL
November 7-11, 2016 in Altamonte Springs, FL

Fee: Registration fee

Information and Registration

This project was supported by Grant No. 2013-MU-BX-K011 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the Office for Victims of Crime, and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the US Department of Justice.