PHOENIX (AZFamily) — As Phoenix Police Chief Matt Giordano begins his tenure, recruitment and retention will be a major task in the months and years to come.
Out of 3,125 sworn positions the department anticipates having as outlined in the budget through July 2025, only 2,500 sworn positions are filled, with 135 recruits on top of that.
“We have some squads in more busy areas of town where we’ve got four and five officers when historically we’ve had 10 to 12 officers in that squad area,” said Phoenix Law Enforcement Association President Darrell Kriplean.
Kriplean says the 2020 protests and public perception of police officers hurt departments all over the country, including in Phoenix, when it came to recruiting.
But a new report from Phoenix Police on recruitment, hiring, and attrition shows that through the end of July this year, 3,091 people have applied to become recruits with the department, which is already more than in all of 2024.
“I think that ship is turning, and I think that we are doing a very good job of promoting the police department as a stable income, a good place to work, a good way to support families,” said Kriplean.
The total number of lateral and reinstatement applicants is also on pace to be greater in 2025 compared to 2024, but recruitment is only part of the equation.
“My concern would be, you know, what’s happening with the folks that are eligible to retire here in the next two or three months? What are we doing to help retain them?” asked Kriplean.
The PLEA president says there will be several veteran officers who will soon be eligible to retire, and because of a lengthy hiring freeze at Phoenix Police years ago, there aren’t a ton of tenured officers outside that group.
Chief Giordano was asked about that issue during his first press conference last month.
“If someone feels valued, if someone feels heard, and they’re healthy and they love their job, they’re going to stay longer, and then they’re going to be more productive members, so we’re looking at it all holistically,” said Chief Giordano on Aug. 13.
To view the full report that will be presented to the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee on Sept. 3, click/tap here.
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