Police Recruitment & Retention: Work Perceptions of Prospective and Current Police Officers

Mike Rossler & Shannon Holubetz – Police Recruitment & Retention: Work Perceptions of Prospective and Current Police Officers

Personnel recruitment and retention are critical issues of police workforce management, and these concerns have received increasing interest as agencies struggle with meeting staffing objectives.  In academia, little research has collected information that can provide evidence-based information about why people choose not to enter a career in policing or choose to leave once entering. This presentation will include information from two research studies, highlighting noteworthy findings that can inform strategies agencies can use to navigate today’s recruitment and retention challenges. Discussion questions will encourage attendees to offer their perspectives on solutions they feel are helpful in addressing personnel challenges in their agencies.

Mike Rossler-

Michael Rossler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences at Illinois State University. He completed his Ph.D. in from the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. His primary research interests involve police-citizen encounters, police responsiveness, police strategies, and police organizational development.  Dr. Rossler’s recent publications appear in Police Quarterly, Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, and Police Practice and Research.  He is also co-author of the book Conservation Law Enforcement (Carolina Academic Press).

Deputy Chief Shannon Holubetz-

Shannon Holubetz began his law enforcement career with the Vernon Hills Police Department in 2005. He has served as an instructor in multiple use of force disciplines and is a certified field training officer. He achieved the rank of Deputy Chief in 2022 and currently oversees his agency’s Support Services function. He is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 137^th Administrative Officer’s Course and was recognized as one of the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s 40 Under 40 in 2019. He holds a bachelor of arts in the Administration of Justice, a master of arts in Legal Studies, and is currently pursuing his doctor of education in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership where he researches police training practices.