Dallas PD is ramping up recruitment efforts, targeting new hires through advertising in other Texas cities to attract more candidates
Dallas: A council committee recently backed the idea for the Dallas Police Department to spend more on ads in other Texas cities to help recruit new officers.
This came after the department shared its latest recruitment and retention updates with the public safety committee. Since the start of the fiscal year on October 1, Dallas PD has hired 41 new officers, but they’ve also seen 36 leave, mostly due to retirement or personal reasons.
Assistant Chief Israel Herrera mentioned they’re aiming for 250 new hires, anticipating about 205 officers will leave by the end of the budget year in September.
Committee chair Cara Mendelsohn suggested they consider advertising on METRO buses in Houston. Herrera noted they’ve looked into several markets, including Austin, but found the pricing to be a bit steep.
Mendelsohn believes many in North Texas know about the department’s recruitment efforts, but other areas might not be aware of their interest in candidates.
Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis agreed that exploring advertising in larger Texas markets is worth considering, even if it comes with a higher cost.
Dallas PD has set aside $260,000 for recruitment advertising this budget year. Mendelsohn also plans to propose a resolution next month to raise the hiring goal to 400 officers for 2025, up from the current target of 250.
Interim Police Chief Michael Igo expressed confidence in meeting this goal, stating that the recruiting team is working hard, and it’s reflected in the number of upcoming classes and recruits.
The next academy class is set to start on January 15, with around 50 recruits expected to join.
