Traditional law enforcement recruitment campaigns often rely on static images or action-packed scenes which do not effectively convey the professionalism or the complexities of modern policing. However, with recent advancements in body-worn camera (BWC) data analytics technology, law enforcement leaders now have access to a powerful tool that can help showcase the professionalism of their officers and revitalize their public facing messages. Here we explore how law enforcement leaders can harness the powerful imagery stored in their latent BWC videos by converting them into more informative recruitment campaign assets.

Strengthening the Message 

In many instances, the law enforcement profession is not advertised or promoted in a way that effectively reaches the most diverse pool of qualified candidates. To adapt to the current recruitment landscape, law enforcement leaders must continuously analyze the content of their message in order to proactively respond to the gaps in their community’s understanding of the work law enforcement officers do each day. Recruitment campaigns must attempt to directly address any persistent negative perceptions held and should underscore the opportunity that policing offers candidates to join a noble profession whose mission directly impacts the quality of every life within their community. By and large, the use of a more compelling message to tell the law enforcement profession’s story will have a greater impact on today’s candidates as many are intent on and will respond to being part of a positive societal change in their community. These efforts can reshape the law enforcement profession’s reputation by positively affecting a community’s perspective, potentially attracting a more diverse group of candidates who are seeking a rewarding and impactful career.

Improving the Imagery

Comparing the efficacy of traditional law enforcement recruitment imagery with campaigns that incorporate BWC videos identified through data analytics technology reveals several significant differences. Traditional law enforcement recruitment campaigns often rely on obsolete messages and practices that fail to capture the nuances of modern policing or the professionalism of law enforcement officers. Recruitment campaigns that utilize BWC video can offer a more engaging and nuanced depiction of law enforcement officers working effectively within the community. The use of BWC video also provides several other key benefits.

• Authenticity - Unlike using staged or scripted scenarios, BWC videos provide an authentic portrayal of law enforcement officers at work, depicting their real-life interactions with the community and the high quality of service they provide each day.
  
  
• Professionalism - Using BWC videos that showcase examples of high composure, professionalism, and empathy provides a more compelling demonstration of the law enforcement profession’s commitment to the highest standards of conduct.
  
  
• Trustworthiness - Utilizing BWC videos in this manner demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability to the community being served.
  
  
• Understanding - Exposure to BWC videos offers potential candidates valuable insights into the day-to-day realities of being a law enforcement officer, helping them make better informed decisions about pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Conclusion

Law enforcement leaders must reimagine their recruitment campaigns to ensure they better align with the realities of modern policing and the current recruitment landscape. In doing so, the message needs to directly address the community’s perception of local law enforcement as persistent negative sentiments can limit interest in the profession and become a sizable barrier to effective recruiting. By developing campaigns that utilize more informative and compelling images like those identified in latent BWC video stores by data analytics technology, law enforcement leaders are better able to present law enforcement as both a rewarding and impactful profession that extends well beyond the traditional role of policing to becoming an integral part of the community. In sum, the use of BWC data analytics technology represents a paradigm shift in recruitment messaging and imagery that provides a more authentic and compelling narrative about the law enforcement profession.

TRULEO is a CJIS-compliant SaaS solution, built on a proprietary audio analysis engine that automatically categorizes all of your department’s BWC data enabling leaders, trainers, and public information officers to highlight positive interactions and promote exemplary performance. Our mission is to improve trust in law enforcement by leveraging state of the art BWC data analysis technology to streamline operations, mitigate risks, enhance legitimacy, and facilitate individualized recognition to increase morale, ignite performance, and promote police professionalism.

About the Author

Greg Sheehan is the Director of Training at TRULEO.

He retired from law enforcement as an Inspector of Police after twenty-seven years with the New York City Police Department, having served in multiple capacities including Program Director of the Police Academy. He is a graduate of the Police Management Institute at Columbia Business School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he was the Richard L. Gelb scholar in public administration. His interests include public safety training and body-worn camera analytics, topics that have allowed him to identify and deploy scalable solutions to today’s toughest law enforcement recruitment, training, and retention problems. For questions or comments contact him at greg@truleo.co.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-sheehan/