Faced with gaping vacancies in its police force and concerns about public safety, the Philadelphia Police Department had to think creatively about how to get more candidates in the door. The answer? Fewer pushups.
The city’s move to lower requirements for the entry physical exam at its police academy is part of a broader effort nationally to reevaluate policies that keep law enforcement applicants out of the job pool amid a hiring crisis.
To close the gap, policies on tattoos, previous drug use, physical fitness and college credits are all being reconsidered. Los Angeles is offering housing subsidies. Other departments, like Washington, D.C., are offering signing bonuses of more than $20,000. Several states have expanded eligibility to noncitizens, while others have changed the minimum age of officers to 18.
Full story: With police departments facing a hiring crisis, some policies are being loosened to find more cadets
With many police departments facing hiring crises are there ways to attract people to join their police departments? We’ve already seen Philadelphia PD lower their physical fitness standards to allow more people to enter. Even the military right now is facing some of the same issues. The military is offering signing bonuses, and even changing the age limit to join. These changes open new job opportunities for many. Why have police departments resorted to these means? What happened to the times were people would be waiting/wanting to become police officers? The drive within the community is gone. How do we change this?