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ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ALDERS OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES, 2022 OFFICER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION PROGRAM, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $175,000.00 TO DEVELOP A LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TOOLKIT TO ENHANCE OUR CURRENT EFFORTS AND TO ACCEPT SUCH FUNDS IF OFFERED AND TO EXECUTE ALL DOCUMENTS AND CONTRACTS AS NECESSARY.
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WHEREAS, the City of New Haven through its Department of Police Service (NHPD) seeks to enhance and improve its community policing program; and
WHEREAS, the NHPD, like other departments across the country, has faced challenges with recruiting and retaining qualified officers; and
WHEREAS, with a budgeted strength of 408 sworn officers, the NHPD only has 336 officers, a vacancy rate of about 18%; and
WHEREAS, the Yale School of Management (SOM) conducted a study in 2020 of NHPD’s recruitment and retention history which identified best practices to enhance its efforts: As interactions with police officers were among the main reasons current officers were attracted to a career in law enforcement, there is massive potential to leverage its officers to improve recruiting efforts. Examples are: to create a special recruitment task force made up of patrol officers and leadership staff; to hold special events for the community and local colleges to attract people to the NHPD; and to increase its presence on recruiting platforms like Police App; and
WHEREAS, a fully staffed Department with lower turnover improves staff cohesion, increases officer productivity, facilitates better decision making of newer officers through the support of tenured officers, reduces burnout, and promotes its mission of “shared responsibility and partnership with our community by creating a safe and culturally diverse and inclusive city;” and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services offers funding to develop an Officer Recruitment and Retention program through the FY2022 Microgrants-Community Policing Development Program; and
WHEREAS, the NHPD Professional Standards and Training Division is prepared to use this funding to develop strategies, including those recommended by SOM, that will enhance its efforts to recruit and retain police officers in order to better meet the public safety needs of the City of New Haven; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Alders supports the efforts of the NHPD to enhance its recruitment and retention of police officers; and
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ORDERED THAT the Board of Alders of the City of New Haven authorizes the Mayor of the City of New Haven to apply for funds offered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in the amount of $175,000.00 for a period of 12 months and to accept such funds, if offered, and to execute all documents and contracts as necessary.