Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Into the 21st Century: A Success Story Through Culture Change

Saturday, October 14, 2023

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM PST

Location: Room: 6E

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Paul LeBaron

Chief of Police
Hermosa Beach Police Department, California
Hermosa Beach, California, United States

Speaker(s)

Joe Poelstra

Sergeant, Professional Standards Unit
Hermosa Beach Police Department, California
Hermosa Beach, California, United States
Mei Shih

Human Resources Analyst
City of Hermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach, California, United States
Richard Taylor

Police Officer (Ret.)
Hermosa Beach Police Department, California
Hermosa Beach, California, United States

Speaker/Panelist(s)

Suja Lowenthal

City Manager
City of Hermosa Beach, California
Hermosa Beach, California, United States

What is the secret when it comes to recruitment, hiring, and retention? Why aren't the traditional methods working? The Hermosa Beach Police Department was faced with the same challenges as most small agencies. But the police department of 59 employees hired 22 people in the last six months of 2022 to become fully staffed. This presentation will provide real examples from the police recruitment team on how they recruited a diverse pool of quality applicants and have set the stage for the next generation of leadership in the department. A focus on changing the internal culture, using social media, and meeting the unique needs of today's applicants will be presented. The roles of the chief of police, command staff, frontline supervisors, recruiters, and human resources personnel will be outlined.