COMMUNITY Partnership

WHY LEAD™? – COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

(2 min read)

In recent years, policing in the United States came under fire in several high-profile incidents, prompting the federal government to address law enforcement practices and policies.  It led former president Barack Obama to convene a task force to evaluate the profession.  In May 2015, the group issued their report, titled “Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.”

In the report, it recommended that “All federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies should report and make available to the public census data regarding the composition of their departments including race, gender, age, and other relevant demographic data.¹”  No national program collects and reports all this information, until now.  LEAD™ allows agencies to take part in the Law Enforcement Agency Demographic Employment Records (LEADER™) section in the program.

Although optional, the use of LEADER™ lets agencies report their demographic structure, as recommended in the study.  Agencies can customize this section to show data in specific fields, including race and gender, and where those employees fall within the rank structure.  You can also display civilian personnel data.

Besides LEADER™ data, we list a demographic breakdown of the agency’s most current applicants, showing the contrast between current employee demographics and those applying for positions.  It may help illustrate some recruitment challenges faced by law enforcement agencies today.

LEADER™ is a comprehensive section viewable on the public section of LEAD™, accessible to anyone.  Interested persons can search for participating agencies, agencies within a particular state, or scroll through a mapping feature to select agencies.  An embedding code also allows organizations to display LEADER™ data on a third-party website, such as the agency’s site.

We encourage agencies to use LEADER™. It offers transparency in a time that has never demanded it more.  Show your community you understand the importance of diversity in your workforce.

Encourage local civic organizations, special interest groups, and schools to register in LEAD™ to receive employment advertisements posted on the site.  “A number of law enforcement agencies have found that engaging community members in the hiring process can have a positive impact on developing a more diverse workforce.²  There are also a plethora of community organizations that stand willing and ready to partner with law enforcement agencies.³”   LEAD™ serves as the bridge for these partnerships.

Nearby LEAD™ agencies that engage their communities in hiring will positively impact your efforts.  Those organizations will receive your advertising too, a prime example of how LEAD™ agencies can work together to strengthen the program through collaboration.

LEAD™’s ability to enhance employment advertising can help strengthen female and visible minority recruitment challenges.  “If qualified candidates from under-represented communities are unaware of job opportunities in a law enforcement agency, then they are unable to apply.⁴”  This is no longer the case when we link your agency to groups who will now see your open positions, when posted.  Interested groups can share your hiring ad on social media, directly through the site.

If you aren’t working with your community to hire, what are you waiting for?  It’s time for law enforcement agencies across America to work together on issues plaguing recruitment.  Join us and Take the LEAD!™  You won’t regret it.

¹ _{Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing | Recommendation 2.5 | Page 24}
² _{Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement |  VI – Promising Practices for Increasing Diversity (B – Hiring) | Page 33}
³ _{Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement |  VI – Promising Practices for Increasing Diversity | Page 25}
⁴ _{Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement |  V – Barriers to Diversity (A – Recruitment) | Pages 19 & 20}