REEXAMINING THE LENGTH OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CAREERS

Law enforcement agencies from all sectors, including local, state, and federal agencies, are experiencing a dramatic decrease in staffing. Concurrently, recruitment of new officers has also significantly declined. As law enforcement staffing decreases, agencies struggle to meet the needs of the populations they serve. Reduced staffing also impacts law enforcement’s ability to conduct front-line and collaborative homeland security functions. This thesis examines how changes to law enforcement retirement systems impact the recruiting and retention of officers. This thesis utilizes existing academic literature from varied disciplines to examine the impact that changes in benefits will have on law enforcement staffing and the ability of law enforcement as a sector to participate in homeland security activities. The intent of this thesis is to predict the success or failure of benefits reforms as they relate to recruitment and retention of staff in law enforcement careers.Civilian, Massachusetts State PoliceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited