With fewer people looking for law enforcement careers even before the Black Lives Matter protests, police forces now are facing rising public anger about brutality and racism.
And with that, there is growing concern among top brass that they are losing even more ground, especially in efforts to attract more Black, Hispanic, Asian and female candidates.
“Recruiting has become the number one topic in the circles of police administrators,” said Chief Christopher Chute of the New Britain Police Department.
Some police agencies are looking to new recruitment strategies — fresh social media campaigns, more partnerships with Black and Latino community groups and a focus on marketing the career to young people long before they reach college.