In the summer of 2024, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conducted a survey of its member agencies to better understand the challenges police agencies are facing regarding recruiting and retention. The IACP received responses from 1,158 U.S. agencies. More than 80% of these respondents were from local municipal police agencies. The full survey will be released by the IACP at the end of October. Highlights from the survey results include:

• More than 70% of police respondents surveyed in 2024 reported that recruitment is more difficult now than five years ago. On average, agencies are operating at approximately 91% of their authorized staffing levels, indicating a nearly 10% deficit. 
• About 65% of respondents reported that they had reduced services or specialized units because of staffing challenges, prioritizing essential patrol functions over specialized assignments. 

• Survey responses indicate that officers are now likely to retire as soon as they are eligible, whereas they may have stayed on the job longer in the past. Additionally, some agencies experienced a hiring boom in the 1990s, and those officers are now approaching retirement eligibility, leading to natural retirement attrition. Although retirements weren’t necessarily problematic in and of themselves, these agencies do not have enough qualified applicants to backfill those officers retiring, worsening their staffing deficit.

The repercussions of these staffing shortages become evident in the survey’s key findings:

• 96% of surveyed officers have seen the direct impact of low staffing.

• 68% are more concerned about on-duty safety due to short staffing. 

• 60% say they don't have adequate time for training due to short staffing. 

Given the critical nature of issues such as training and safety, the staffing crisis among sworn officers has the potential to negatively impact both communities and the officers dedicated to serving them.

As the recruitment of new officers becomes an increasingly challenging task, it is imperative for agencies to explore alternative strategies beyond conventional hiring practices. This approach is crucial not only for maintaining the safety and well-being of officers but also for safeguarding the communities they serve. 

One alternative strategy many  agencies are turning to as a potential solution is technology. An example of effectively using technology as a force multiplier can be found in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Implementing Technology to Combat Staffing Shortages: Tulsa Police Department

The City of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a growing metropolitan area with a population of over 400,000 residents. The Tulsa Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in the city, committed to ensuring the safety and security of the community it serves.

With a staff of around 800 sworn officers and a recommended staffing level of 950, the department is experiencing the all-too-common challenge of operating while significantly short-staffed.

In response to this staffing challenge, compounded by a rise in violent crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tulsa Police Department sought innovative solutions to amplify its impact. The department decided to leverage technology, emphasizing real-time policing to enhance the safety of their community.

Through the strategic deployment of Flock Safety Falcon® License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras, and the utilization of real-time policing platform FlockOS® to power their Real Time Information Center (RTIC), Tulsa PD achieved remarkable results. Within a span of just 17 months, the department attained a 100% homicide clearance rate while also fostering trust within the community and boosting officer morale.

To replicate the success witnessed by Tulsa PD, consider how adopting technology can help better position your agency for success while weathering the current realities of recruiting.

Equipping your sworn officers with cutting-edge tools that produce actionable, objective evidence is important to empower and enable swift, decisive action. 

Deploy License Plate Recognition Cameras to Enhance Investigative Capabilities

License plate numbers are invaluable when it comes to real-time policing. From recovering stolen cars to locating missing persons and solving burglaries, this crucial detail often makes all the difference. While officers can’t have their eyes on every corner in your jurisdiction, LPR cameras can. 

Flock Safety Falcon® LPR cameras go beyond mere license plate capture, as our Vehicle Fingerprint® Technology identifies vehicles by make, color, and decals, transforming photos into actionable evidence. This enhanced functionality, paired with real-time alerts, allows officers to act swiftly in response to crime. 

Captain Jacob Johnston from Tulsa PD attests to the impact of implementing LPR cameras, stating, “We have to find solutions that are…really evidence-based. Especially since we’ve brought in Flock Safety’s license plate readers, it seems that about every other case, we’re using LPR in some capacity.” 

Gain Situational Awareness at a Distance with Live Video

Another way to gain advanced situational awareness and case clearance is through live video. Flock Safety Condor® live and recorded video enables officers to respond safely with remote-controlled video, all accessible alongside LPR evidence in FlockOS. Getting a comprehensive live view during critical incidents can provide overwatch for your officers' safety while also providing crucial real-time updates. Then, layered with information from LPR cameras, live video becomes a powerful force multiplier for officers in the field.

Use Audio Detection to Arrive Early & Locate Victims — Even If 911 Is Never Called 

A significant percentage of gunshots are never even reported to police, which can leave critical evidence missing and victims waiting for help. Integrating audio detection devices like Flock Safety Raven® into your real-time response can revolutionize response times and enhance your agency’s ability to address gun-related crimes. And unlike point audio detection systems, Raven integrates with the other sensors in the Flock Safety ecosystem, like LPRs and video cameras, and displays all evidence in FlockOS. This allows officers to collect vital audio and geospatial data to corroborate physical evidence like shell casings.

The impact of audio detection is exemplified in a recent solved story in Michigan City, Indiana where the Flock Safety Raven® allowed Michigan City Police Department to quickly locate and arrive at the location of a fatal car crash and shooting, arresting two suspects involved in the crime.‍

Seamlessly Integrate First and Third-Party Data Across Video, LPR, and Audio

Integrating various data sources is imperative to streamline operations and provide officers with quick access to essential information. This allows officers to make seamless connections between disparate sources, accelerating both the response and investigative process.

For Tulsa PD, this meant implementing FlockOS® to pull together 911 call data, patrol vehicle locations, body-worn camera footage, and their network of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) and LPR cameras. Flock’s integrated software solutions deliver real-time intelligence with unmatched scalability.

The implementation of technology, when strategically deployed and integrated, can act as a game-changing force multiplier. By empowering officers to act swiftly, proactively address threats, and advance investigative capabilities, these tools will ultimately help shape a safer future for your community – while improving officer safety and boosting morale.