The Phoenix Police Department reports that the combination of increased officer salaries, enhanced marketing strategies, and a more efficient application process are yielding positive outcomes in their recruitment efforts.
Impressively, in September alone, over 300 individuals submitted applications to join the ranks of Phoenix officers. The upcoming December academy class is projected to welcome 39 recruits, which is nearly double the average number seen over the past two years, as indicated by Commander William Jou.
Commander Jou shared with the City Council that 16% of applicants are women, indicating a 3% increase from the previous year, 2023. “This is encouraging to see that our marketing and recruiting efforts focused on women have shown positive results,” Jou stated. “However, we recognize we have much more work to do to reach our goal of 30% women in our academy classes by 2030.”
Furthermore, the department is prioritizing the recruitment of Black and African American applicants. According to their data, only 11.8% of applicants identify as Black and African American, and even more concerning, only 5.3% of those applicants are ultimately hired. “Going forward, my team will be researching what is causing Black and African American applicants to withdraw from the process or what is disqualifying them,” Jou elaborated. “Based on our findings, we will address process improvements and enhance outreach to those candidates to ensure improved outcomes. Our research aims to yield benefits for all applicants.”
Between 2022 and October 31, 2024, the department reported that 1.1% of applicants identified as Native American, with zero hires recorded during this period. Moreover, Phoenix currently has around 600 vacant police officer positions.
The data collected by the city reveals that the most effective referral sources for police applicants are family and friends, city employees, the official city website, Indeed.com, and strategically placed billboards.
The city’s combination of a pilot program and additional outreach initiatives has successfully increased the overall number of applications to the Department, rising from an average of 250 new candidates each month to approximately 305.
Advertising pilot program
In August, the city implemented an advertising pilot program, and the results for September were impressive:
Website, social media, YouTube, Meta and paid search
- Total Impressions: 3,194,424
- Male: 47%
- Female: 30%
- Uncategorized: 23%
Indeed.com
- Total Impressions: 195,595
- Click Through Rate: 9%
- Clicks: 17,927
- Leads Generated: 1,439
Billboards
- Impressions: 16,145,767
- Total Digital Billboard Activations: 387,859
**Interview with Commander William Jou of the Phoenix Police Department**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Commander Jou. The Phoenix Police Department has seen impressive recruitment numbers lately. Can you share what specific strategies have contributed to this increase in applications?
**Commander Jou:** Thank you for having me. Yes, we’ve implemented a combination of increased officer salaries, enhanced marketing strategies, and streamlined our application process. These changes have made our department more attractive to potential recruits and have contributed significantly to the uptick in applications.
**Interviewer:** Over 300 applications were submitted in September alone—what does that mean for the upcoming academy class in December?
**Commander Jou:** It’s exciting! We anticipate welcoming 39 new recruits for the December academy, which is nearly double our average from the past two years. This surge signals that our efforts are resonating with our community.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned a notable increase in women applicants, now making up 16% of the pool. What initiatives are in place to promote this trend?
**Commander Jou:** We’ve focused our marketing and outreach efforts specifically aimed at women, which has shown positive results. However, we know there’s still a lot of work to do to achieve our goal of 30% women in our academy classes by 2030.
**Interviewer:** It’s fantastic to see progress in diversity, but you also highlighted that only 11.8% of applicants identify as Black or African American. What steps are being taken to address this?
**Commander Jou:** We are actively prioritizing the recruitment of Black and African American candidates. This involves outreach and community engagement initiatives to foster relationships and encourage applications from underrepresented groups. We recognize the disparities and are committed to making our department more reflective of the community we serve.
**Interviewer:** Looking ahead, what are the main priorities for the Phoenix Police Department regarding recruitment and diversity?
**Commander Jou:** Our primary goals are to continue improving our recruitment strategies, especially focusing on women and diverse populations, to ensure our department is representative of Phoenix’s rich diversity. We’re dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and motivated to serve.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Commander Jou, for your insights and commitment to these important initiatives.
**Commander Jou:** Thank you for having me! It’s an important conversation, and I appreciate the opportunity to share our progress.
