NACo Brief: County Innovations in Public Safety Workforce Recruitment and Retention
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Counties invest $124 billion annually in justice and public safety. From patrolling the streets, to operating and maintaining county detention and court facilities, to employing innovative approaches to safely reduce jail populations, the county public safety workforce fosters safe and resilient communities.
America’s 939,000-person public safety workforce encompasses all county-employed positions that support local public safety, including but not limited to law enforcement (civilian and sworn), emergency medical services, fire, crisis response, corrections, community supervision and related administrative support.
Recent cultural and economic changes such as competitive markets, declining applicant pools, misaligned workplace expectations, high turnover and population shifts have led to public safety workforce challenges in counties nationwide.
This brief highlights innovative ways that counties are addressing recruitment and retention challenges. Below are excerpts from the full brief.
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Counties invest $124 billion annually in justice and public safety. From patrolling the streets, to operating and maintaining county detention and court facilities, to employing innovative approaches to safely reduce jail populations, the county public safety workforce fosters safe and resilient communities.
America’s 939,000-person public safety workforce encompasses all county-employed positions that support local public safety, including but not limited to law enforcement (civilian and sworn), emergency medical services, fire, crisis response, corrections, community supervision and related administrative support.
Recent cultural and economic changes such as competitive markets, declining applicant pools, misaligned workplace expectations, high turnover and population shifts have led to public safety workforce challenges in counties nationwide.
This brief highlights innovative ways that counties are addressing recruitment and retention challenges. Below are excerpts from the full brief.
Williamson County, Texas
Population: 609,017
Since 2020, Williamson County has experienced rapid population growth that resulted in increasing public safety concerns. Specifically, county leaders noticed sheriff deputy understaffing, higher emergency call volume and longer response times. To address these challenges, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office is strengthening its public safety workforce through enhanced processes and services to streamline hiring new staff and improving conditions for current staff.
Hillsborough County, Fla.
Population: 1,459,762
Hillsborough County has experienced a public safety staffing shortage due to a competitive talent market, high occupational stress and high turnover. County leaders have adopted innovative measures to support public safety personnel by addressing some of the key causes of the shortage.
Elkhart County, Ind.
Population: 207,047
In 2021, new federal legislation required youth being tried as adults to be housed in youth detention facilities. As a result, the Elkhart County Juvenile Detention Center saw an increase in residents without an increase in full-time staffing. This initially led to higher rates of safety and security issues, resulting in increased staff turnover. Leveraging ARPA funding, detention center leadership explored new technology partnerships and implemented new recruitment tactics to support their staff.
Arlington County, Va.
Population: 238,643
The Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) has experienced a significant reduction in its workforce due to attrition, retirements and officers seeking other opportunities. To ensure public safety in the county, ACPD leadership is leveraging a multi-faceted approach to entice new recruits to its workforce and improve retention rates of current staff.
Kent County, Del.
Population: 181,851
In the last five years, Kent County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) has experienced high vacancy rates driven by burnout and low wages. In addition, recent population growth has steadily increased the number of service calls. County officials and public safety leaders joined forces to expand EMS recruiting and retention.
Tell Us Your County Story
Are you working to support your local public safety workforce? Do you have successful strategies other counties can learn from? Please submit your information through the following form and NACo staff will be happy to connect with you to learn more and discuss potential next steps. For technical assistance, email bhjteam@naco.org.
Additional NACo Resources
Behavioral Health and Justice Programming
NACo’s behavioral health and justice programs strengthen county leadership and foster innovation in our delivery of behavioral health crisis services and a fair and efficient justice system.
NACo Workforce Network
Counties offer competitive benefits and enriching careers but face a nationwide workforce shortage of 100,000 jobs. The NACo Workforce Network provides a platform to share resources, best practices, and learning opportunities in human resources and benefits, aiming to attract and retain a talented public service workforce.
Youth Justice
Through technical assistance, national partnerships and member-driven initiatives, NACo’s Youth Justice programming equips county leaders with resources and peer learning opportunities to strengthen local youth justice systems.
NACo Solutions
NACo Career Center Job Board
Good employees are crucial to getting the job done. NACo provides a method for counties to find the right people to fill staffing vacancies.
NACo High Performance Leadership Academy
The NACo High Performance Leadership Academy is an innovative, completely online 12-week program created to equip frontline county government professionals with practical leadership skills to deliver results for counties and communities.
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