website: closup.umich.edu | email: closup@umich.edu mailto:closup@umich.edu The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy Background Ensuring the safety, health, and welfare of citizens is one of the fundamental functions of government, with local governments and local law enforcement agencies at the heart of Michigan public safety. [...] 3 The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy Local governments of all sizes and in all regions face recruitment and retention challenges As shown in Figure 2a, recruitment and retention of law enforcement officers are problems in jurisdictions of all sizes involved in law enforcement services, although they are most common in larger jurisdictions. [...] 5 The Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy Law enforcement and local government leaders have different perceptions of agency staffing needs When it comes to overall personnel levels in Figure 4 Michigan’s police departments, approximately half Local chiefs of police vs local government leaders’ assessments of local police department staffing of all chiefs of police (49%) report that they have. [...] Among local governments that are involved in the provision of law enforcement services for their community, almost three-quarters (72%) say recruitment of officers is a problem for the primary law enforcement agency serving their jurisdiction, and almost half (48%) say retention is a problem. [...] In the Spring 2024 iteration, surveys were sent by the Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) via the Internet and hardcopy to top elected and appointed officials (including county administrators and board chairs; city mayors and managers; village presidents, clerks, and managers; and township supervisors, clerks, and managers) from all 83 counties, 280 cities, 253 villages, and 1,240.
- Pages
- 16
- Published in
- United States of America
Table of Contents
- Michigan local governments report increased challenges with law enforcement recruitment and retention 1
- Key Findings 1
- Background 2
- Appendix A 2
- Concerns about law enforcement recruitment and retention widespread among Michigan local government leaders 3
- Not much of a problem 3
- Not a problem at all 3
- A significant problem 3
- Somewhat of a problem 3
- Dont know 3
- Figure 1 3
- Local governments of all sizes and in all regions face recruitment and retention challenges 4
- Figure 2a 4
- Figure 2b 4
- Law enforcement leaders sound even louder alarms over officer recruitment and retention 5
- Figure 3 5
- Appendix B 5
- Law enforcement and local government leaders have different perceptions of agency staffing needs 6
- Figure 4 6
- Figure 5 6
- County prosecutors also face severe recruitment and retention challenges 7
- Figure 6 7
- Figure 7 7
- Appendix B 7
- Increased pay and benefits as well as pipeline programs may help address recruitment and retention issues 8
- Figure 8 8
- Voices Across Michigan 9
- Conclusion 11
- Notes 11
- Survey Background and Methodology 12
- Acknowledgement and Disclaimer 12
- Appendix A 13
- Appendix B 14
