Phoenix Police Department
Human Resources Public Relations
ASSESS
Due to the city's recent population growth, the Phoenix Police Department (PHX-PD) had been commissioned to attract 1,000 new officers. With a heavy concentration in the local market, the PHX-PD realized they would also need to target several areas outside of Arizona to meet their current staffing needs. After conducting thorough research, several key states in the Midwest were selected based on limited local employment opportunities, cost of living, less attractive benefits and unpaid training. The search was then narrowed to include men and women with both civilian and military backgrounds.
STRATEGIZE
To attract a large number of qualified candidates from other states, Bernard Hodes Group recommended Human Resources Public Relations as a vehicle to focus on PHX-PD's employment culture. This press would be used to promote PHX-PD's scheduled out-of-state testing sessions.
IMPLEMENT
After conducting extensive interviews with the HR team, Hodes gathered local market research, which uncovered several strengths of the department, including a strong reputation, elaborate benefits and numerous career opportunities. Paid training, sign-on bonuses, and extra pay incentives were also attractive to out-of-state candidates.
In order to interact face-to-face with potential out-of-state candidates, the department's recruitment team headed to Toledo, Ohio and hosted an onsite written exam and physical agility test. These sessions offered candidates a chance to meet with recruiters to discuss the necessary steps and expectations in becoming an officer. Additionally, they would have the chance to take a formal written exam and physical agility test to speed up the process and enter the academy in a timely manner.
PHX-PD received a large amount of media attention as a result of a press release distributed in the Midwest region where the recruitment event was to take place. All of the major networks came out to cover the event, including reporters from CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox television, as well as the Associated Press. The coverage included featured articles about the PHX-PD coming to town and inclusion in the events and community calendar sections of the local papers. The news segments were also picked up and videos were featured on the home pages of several websites, and local radio broadcasters came down to interview the department.
MEASURE
The HR PR media coverage generated prior to the event communicated the Phoenix Police Department's recruiting efforts to a wider audience in the area. There were 450 pre-registered applicants for the Toledo, Ohio event and 250 of those weathered the snow storms to take the written exam. 128 individuals moved onto to the second phase, which was the completion of the physical agility test. The Phoenix Police Department was quite satisfied with the turn out of the event and felt that the applicants were highly qualified.
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