The hiring of police officers is rising for the first year since 2020, a new survey shows.
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The hiring of police officers is rising for the first year since 2020, a new survey shows.
PolicedepartmentsacrosstheU.S.havestruggledtoremainstaffedforthepastfewyearsasofficersleftindrovesfollowingtheDefundthePolicemovementandtheBlackLivesMatter(BLM)protestsandriotingthatpeakedafterthedeathofGeorgeFloydin2020.Forthefirsttimesincethenationwideunrestandlockdowns,totalstaffinghasincreasedamongpoliceagencieswithsomesmallandmediumbodiesreportingmoreswornofficersthaninJanuary2020,accordingtodataobtainedbythePoliceExecutiveResearchForum(PERF).
“Forthefirsttimesincethestartofthepandemic,agenciesreportedayear-over-yearincreaseintotalswornstaffing.Respondingagenciesreportedhiringmoreswornofficersin2023thaninanyofthepreviousfouryears.Agenciessawfewerresignationsin2023thantheydidin2021or2022,thoughtheystillhadmoreofficersresignlastyearthanin2019or2020.Andretirementsdroppedbackdowntoroughlywheretheywerein2019afterbeingelevatedforthe
