Seattle PD billboard recruits IMPD officers
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A new billboard around the corner from IMPD’s East District encourages officers to transfer to the Seattle Police Department.
The billboard stands facing southbound Shadeland Avenue at English Avenue and lists a “lateral testing in Indianapolis” event in November. Officers with over two years of experience can test into the Seattle Police Department in Indy and move to Seattle to join their department.
Rick Snyder, president of the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 86, said when he saw the billboard he wasn’t surprised.
“We could see this coming down the pike,” he said. “Seeing the billboard, it just affirmed what we believed would be occurring.”
Snyder explained the game has changed for law enforcement recruitment and retention across the country. Years ago a newly-recruited officer was anticipated to stay with the department for up to 32 years, according to Snyder. Now, new recruits often last less than 10 years.
“The generation that were going out to recruit from now, they are more apt to transfer out, go to other departments, or other professions,” he said.
Snyder insists that the problem doesn’t lie with the new generation but with the police departments not doing enough to retain officers. IMPD experienced a 4-year hiring freeze and have since struggled to bring in new officers and keep currently employed ones.
“Without a doubt this year in 2018 we will lose more officers than we are physically able to hire,” said Snyder of IMPD. “All at the same time were facing the same challenges in our neighborhoods with crime and record murder rates. That’s not a good formula to be working with.”
However, Snyder believes this is a big opportunity for IMPD to turn the tables on competing agencies, stay at the forefront of best practices, and make sure officers feel valued and respected so they will stay at IMPD and also potentially transfer in from other departments.
The FOP, Mayor’s Office, and IMPD are working together to generate new strategies to accomplish those goals, including utilizing a new $50,000 budget for recruitment and retention. Snyder says he is advocating for installing IMPD billboards in other cities, just as Seattle PD has done.
“This is actually an opportunity to kind of retool our approach on things for drawing potential candidates to the department,” he said, “but I cant stress it enough, to incentivize our folks to stay here.”
IMPD is accepting applications year-round at this link. Learn more about IMPD employment opportunities here.
Seattle PD have provided information on their Indianapolis recruiting efforts on their website. Seattle Police officers did not respond to requests for comment on their recruitment billboard.