Diversifying the police applicant pool: motivations of women and minority candidates seeking police employment

ABSTRACT

Given the media attention to police killings of unarmed men of color, police agencies have increased their focus on the diversity of their applicant pools. Despite their efforts, policing leaders across the United States have cited challenges in recruiting a diverse police force and are exploring evidence-based solutions. However, the bulk of the literature on motivation to seek a career in policing is dated and includes small samples of women and minority respondents. The purpose of this study is to provide contemporary insight into reasons of women and minority candidates for applying to a police department. Thus, this study focuses on women and minority applicants to a large policing agency in the northeastern United States, asking respondents an open-ended question about their motivation to apply. Policing as a childhood dream, making a difference in the community and the opportunity to help people, and believing policing was a good transition from military to civilian life were the most commonly cited reasons for applying. Salary, benefits and job security were the least cited reasons for applying for a police position. Other findings and policy implications are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Diversity
• hiring
• recruitment
• police employment
• motivation

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to Jim Ruiz, Chelsea George, Christopher Haraszkiewicz, Lori Karges, Megan Martin, Marc Anthony Merino, Jr., Kaitlyn Rhubright and Lindsay Smay for their assistance on this project and to the anonymous reviewers for their helpful feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer C. Gibbs

Jennifer C. Gibbs is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice in the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg, where she studies policing topics. Her work on social distance and attitudes toward police, co-authored with Dr. Jonathan Lee, was recognized in the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence.