Building the Next Generation of Law Enforcement: Designing Evidence-Based Supports for Recruits, Officers, and Agencies

Saturday, October 14, 2023

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM PST

Location: Room: 6A

Submitter and Speaker(s)

Kate McNamee

Senior Policy Advisor
U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Speaker(s)

Michael S. Pooley, n/a

Chief of Police
Apache Junction Police Department, Arizona
Apache Junction, Arizona, United States
Mark Ohnesorge

Captain
Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma
Mark Wollmershauser

Major
Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma
Tanya Meisenholder

Director of Gender Equity
30x30 Initiative
Jessica Dockstader

Associate Research Analyst
CNA
Arlington, Virginia, United States

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, high levels of street violence, and erosion of trust in law enforcement, police agencies experience high attrition rates as well as drastic downturns in the number of officer recruits. The Bureau of Justice Assistance, in partnership with CNA, assembled an evidence-based blueprint for how agencies can comprehensively address this issue. This panel examines each of the critical issues for recruitment and retention including: equitable approaches to expand the pool of candidates; identification of the best candidates during selection; retention of officers who reflect the values of the agency and community; and development of wellness systems to better serve officers and communities.