New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation.
Offering recruits meaning, not just employment.
Universally, law enforcement is having a hard time recruiting as the traditional feeders of military and family ties are producing fewer qualified cadets. Add advances in technology and there is a need for more educated, specialized applicants. In New Orleans, these realities are complicated further by a Department with a controversial history in a City with high crime.
For nearly a decade, we have worked with multiple administrations to drive qualified applicants using the very same approach that we apply in the private sector. Using emotion, not logic to align with individuals fundamentally will make our efforts more effective. Data has validated that engaging applicants using concepts of valor, service and altruism does not generate the volume of applications that starting salaries, benefits and incentives does. But individuals driven by an emotional call to serve people and preserve a special place stick with the process at a higher rate and become quality officers. It is a leap of faith to sacrifice quantity for quality, but in the end scarce resources can be focused on those predisposed for success rather than squandered on masses driven by more superficial criteria.
By working to align on purpose—not just a paycheck—we have been able to successfully recruit for the New Orleans Police Department, exceeding goals and growing the department with qualified cadets.
