Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recruiting Retention topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dallas police, fire report mixed recruiting results; police add digital marketing partner
Summary
Dallas Police and Dallas Fire Rescue presented February recruiting and retention metrics to the Public Safety Committee. DPD reported net losses in February and a new marketing partnership; DFR reported net hiring gains and ongoing outreach to schools and colleges.
Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire Rescue updated the Public Safety Committee on recruiting and retention for February, reporting divergent short-term results and outlining outreach plans.
Major Polly Ashford introduced the Dallas Police Department’s recruiting report, saying the department “lost 16 officers and hired 5 in February,” and that year-to-date the department had “lost 64 and hired 100.” Ashford described attrition reasons in February as personal reasons (5), career change (2), discharge (1), other public service moves (2) and retirement (6). She said sworn strength at the end of February was 3,158.
Ashford described applicant pipelines and background processing: “132 applicants were referred to us by civil service, and we placed 87 applicants in the background phase,” and she noted Academy Class 405 began March 12 with 54 recruits.
Councilmember Willis and other members pressed for more detail on the department’s digital marketing strategy. Ashford said DPD had recently partnered with Cumulus Media to expand outreach through social channels and streaming platforms and to develop creative messaging aimed at groups such as teachers who might consider policing as a second career. “The partner that we're working with has identified that there are, the profession of teaching. Teachers are seeking a secondary profession,” Ashford said. Chair Adkins asked whether the partnership was a department-level action; staff replied it did not go through City Council procurement and that it was brought on within the last month.
Chief Garcia said improving pay and the city’s support for public safety were part of retention work. Council members praised the department’s progress but asked for historical attrition comparisons; staff offered to provide year-over-year figures.
Dallas Fire Rescue reported stronger February results. Assistant Chief Delish Williams told the committee the department was “plus 25 with our hiring over attrition” in February and “plus 75” for the fiscal year. Williams said fire had onboarded 31 personnel in February and had 748 candidates still in process, many awaiting physical agility tests. A survey of recruits showed 93% were motivated by a desire to serve and about half cited benefits as a motivating factor; outreach emphasized high school and university recruitment.
Both departments said they were using targeted outreach—career fairs, military hiring events, social media, and on-site hiring drives—and listed follow-ups: DPD will provide further attrition-year comparisons; police leaders will brief the committee on the Cumulus partnership and creative messaging; DFR will continue tutoring, mentors and partnerships with Dallas College to reduce academy attrition.
