Police Dept. copes with personnel shortage
Faced with a personnel shortage, the Fairfax County Police Department is stepping up its recruiting efforts.
FCPD has 195 operational vacancies, but that doesn’t account for the 50 recruits in the Police Academy, a public information officer reports. The vacancies are across the department and not concentrated in specific areas.
The police department launched an online recruiting campaign this summer with a video extolling the rewards of policing. “It’s a calling,” the video states: “You are there to protect people. You are there to help people have a voice.”
Fairfax County isn’t alone; police departments across the country are facing staffing challenges.
“We have increased focus on lateral officer transfers to bring their experience immediately into our ranks,” the FCPD spokesperson states. The department has also streamlined its application process and is planning a nationwide advertising campaign.
As a temporary measure, FCPD officers work two 12.5-hour shifts, an increase from 11.5 hours, and are subject to mandatory overtime.
Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay notes that the board approved a salary increase, along with an additional step increase and longevity pay for uniformed officers. “That resulted in an average pay raise of nearly 8 percent, with many officers seeing a 14 percent bump.”
“These increases are critical to retention efforts and keeping us competitive with neighboring jurisdictions, including the federal government,” McKay says. “The latest budget continues to invest in additional resources to assist our officers and recruiting efforts.”
This year’s salary increase, however, doesn’t completely make up for the pay scale steps frozen between 2019 and 2021.
Meanwhile, the department retains its commitment to the 30 x 30 initiative, which is aimed at increasing the representation of women in police recruit classes to 30 percent by 2030.
The FCPS is hosting a 30 x 30 Hiring Expo on Aug. 20, 8 a.m.-noon, at the Criminal Justice Academy for women interested in learning about careers in policing. Attendees will have a chance to practice the physical abilities test.
FCPD will also be represented at a Veteran & Military Spouse Career Fair Sept. 21 at Fort Belvoir and Sept. 22 virtually.
Police are there to “help people have a voice?” That’s a new one. “Increasing representation of women?” How about hiring the most capable people for the job regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or creed?
The government continues to skirt federal hiring laws to citizens’ detriment. If you think that in addition to specific campaigns, the county is not making hiring decisions based on race, gender, and sexual orientation, you’re dreaming. It’s happening everywhere, and it’s illegal.
https://www.eeoc.gov/prohibited-employment-policiespractices
And the financial incentives McKay is touting don’t come close to pacing with REAL inflation. Presumably the recruits that are attracted to these incentives are not that bright.
As identity-based hiring increases, standards decrease. As standards decrease, quality of officers decreases.
So then we not-so-bright, less qualified officers, hired in violation of EEOC laws, working longer shifts in an increasingly hostile environment. What could go wrong?
I am 100% on board with Professor Jose Amigo’s comment with one quibble.
Professor Amigo state’s “How about hiring the most capable people for the job regardless of race, color, religion, sex, or creed?”
Unfortunately, that version of America, best epitomized by the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr and the Civil Rights Movement he led a half century ago has passed into the annuls of history.
It’s long gone. For good or for I’ll.
For the most part, the younger generations of Americans are not even aware that in the recent past the objective was a “color-blind” America because this is no longer taught in America’s education system.
You people need to stop mainlining Fox News and OAN. It gives you such a distorted view of reality. Hiring of lower qualified candidates to check a minority box happens so rarely it’s not worth talking about. Especially while the opposite (minorities passed over for promotions and interview in favor of white candidates) happens so much more frequently.
And nothing in this article is even talking about that. The article is talking about reaching out to get applicants from more diverse backgrounds. Not hiring based on diversity. Unfortunately, you can’t push past your victim complex can’t to understand that.
Sounds like you’re not in the current job market. Do you have friends who are employed? They can get you up to speed. And… who’s is playing victim? Who watches Fox News or OAN? Not me. I’m simply sharing (obvious) observations derived from experience and common sense, that many are choosing to ignore to their own detriment, hence the police shortage and inevitable crime wave that was forecasted years ago, and that folks of your persuasion said would never happen.
If you don’t think standards have been lowered in schools, government, corporate America, the military, you cannot be taken remotely seriously.
Professor José, please repeat over and over like a mantra “Diversity is our Strength.”
Eventually it will all make sense.
So the only evidence you have to your wild claims are anecdotal? No need to continue this conversation.
The Board of Supervisors, Police Chief Kevin Davis, and Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano are all responsible for this shortage of police officers. Descano needs to be gone at the next election. His “we don’t lock up criminals” and “criminals are actually victims” approach to crime doesn’t work. Davis has been promising to resolve the shortage for many months now. Lots of talk, no results. And the Board of Supervisors needs to make it clear to Davis and Descano that they have just two jobs – deter crime and put criminals in jail.
In other crime news, I was at the 7 corners Home Depot today, early evening. As a was parking, 2 Home Depot employees were quickly walking after a man, both employees were recording him with iphones – the man had an envelope in his hand. One of the employees said “if you didn’t do anything wrong, come back to the office.” The man with the envelope ran towards Ross and the 2 employees ran after him. As I was liked into the store, a number of employees were standing outside and watching the parking lot. One of the employees said the guy stole $700+ of cash. I bought my stuff and came back out to the parking lot. 1 unmarked police car was in front of Home Depot. 2 marked cars were in front of Ross. Then I stopped by 7-11 on Annandale and 50. 7 loiterers up to no good were harassing every person as they entered and left. In the back of the 7-11, the man who wears garbage bags was being harassed by a guy who looked like he was on drugs.Thanks Kevin Davis, Steve Descano, and Board. Those Home Depot employees are lucky they didn’t get hurt. For goodness sake, don’t chase criminals.
What we need is violence interrupters. They work so effective in DC. You got what you voted for. The politicians spent two years attacking the police and doing everything they can to handcuff the police instead of the criminals and making it difficult to do their job. Fortunately the people of Virginia got fed up and voted for Jason Miyares. I voted for Steve, the criminals best friend, the first time but I sure won’t next time.
This is so predictable. When you attack the police, they won’t want to work for you. Refund the police, please! We had a break in in our community recently and the police were not allowed to arrest the thug because he didn’t “get inside.” How stupid! Our county has to be the most liberal and uncaring county in the nation. A bunch of ignorant politicians trying to get off by not doing a the minimum when it comes to their job and certainly NOT listening to their constituents. Stop tying the police department’s hands. Minorities suffer the most when you make DUMB decisions.