This month’s Featured PD Recruiter is Captain Adam Foster from California’s La Habra Police Department. Foster is originally from Orange County and has been on the force for over 17 years. With experience in SWAT, Internal Affairs, Detective and now the Operations Division, Captain Foster is well respected officer of La Habra PD.
When tasked with improving their law enforcement recruiting, Epic Recruiting was there to help. Read along and hear firsthand from Captain Foster about his law enforcement recruiting experience.
law enforcement recruiting interview
What efforts were you using before epic?
We were very traditional in the way that we recruited, which meant we would advertise [job openings] through just a general city website. The reason that this was a challenge, is because this website was not specific for a law enforcement career; you would go there for a job in public works or the community center. [The users] would have to already know where to look and actively seek out police jobs. It was frustrating… it was almost like an exercise to even find out if we were accepting applications.
We tried a few other media agencies but they really didn’t have the expertise we were looking for. They usually had only one thing that they did well. For instance, if they were great at social media, they weren’t able to market video properly or vise versa. We were never really satisfied with the quality of work so we never even presented out into the public. But with Epic, we found the whole package in one agency.
What were you looking for when searching for an agency?
Well, we knew that we needed help and needed to do something a little more modern than we had in the past. We had seen Epic’s videos and thought they were very cutting edge, so we reached out. From there, we gave an idea of what kind of brand we wanted to represent in the videos, and the team was able to hear what we wanted, made it come to life and presented it in a way that met our bigger picture goals.
what was the creative process like?
We definitely felt like it was a collaborative effort. Never did it feel like we were forced into a cookie-cutter standard. Epic Recruiting asked all along the way how much or how little you want to be involved. What was really important for us was our message, and the team took that to heart. Once the Epic understood our vision, everything was smooth sailing from there on out.
what did you want to show the public in this recruiting campaign?
One of the things we really wanted to show is that this job is very rewarding in that you impact the community’s lives. We wanted to have applicants that were equally invested in helping the community. Our community is diverse and, although small, our department is diverse too and we have a lot to offer. La Habra PD wanted to show off that there is something for everyone even though it’s a small town.
How has a website impacted quality of applicants?
The hardest part for any police department that is trying to hire great people for their team, is expressing their own personality and advertising the things they find important. This way, they attract applicants that are in search for the same things. What’s so great about our website, is that it does just that. It shows our diversity, it shows our desire to be involved in the community. So, when people are visiting the site and clicking around, we know they are interested in what we find important.
How have recruiting efforts impacted the community and the department?
Well, internally we gained a sense of pride because of how well it came out. It showed that we are looking for the best people to work here and we’re willing to do what it takes to get those applicants here. Externally, to the community, it really put a spotlight on our department. Other local agencies were impressed at how well our recruiting efforts turned out.
Most importantly, it significantly increased the amount of applicants. It really was a win all around.
since la habra is a small town, are there many lateral applicants?
Oh yeah, the vast majority of applicants are from Southern California. Once people can see us and see what police jobs are available, they will travel. It’s just a matter of communicating to them, you know, posting a “wanted” poster just doesn’t suffice as police officer recruitment anymore.
Years later, what kind of results are you seeing?
Yeah we definitely still get applicants to the site. As a small town and small department though, we almost get too many applicants. It’s not uncommon for us to have to take down a police job listing quickly.
If you’re struggling with police recruitment, you’re not alone. Police departments all over the nation are facing police recruiting problems. Traditional advertising doesn’t make the cut anymore for law enforcement recruiting. Epic Recruiting helps police agencies hiring find the right applicants. Hear about Hayward PD’s recruiting process for another perspective on increasing applicants.
For more police recruiting ideas, contact an Epic Recruiter today and start your journey to more quality candidates at your department.
No Endorsement. Epic Recruiting acknowledges that La Habra PD makes no claims on behalf of Epic Recruiting as to the quality of the products or services Epic Recruiting offers. Epic Recruiting shall make no claims that La Habra PD endorses Epic’s products or services.