Police recruitment videos and their relevance for attracting officers

Abstract

Police continue to cite struggles of attracting applicants to their agencies. One means by which police attempt to attract applicants is via their recruitment videos. As part of the present research, I employ content analysis to descriptively assess the material contained within a large sample of recruitment videos from police agencies across the USA (N = 567). Trained coders reviewed each video and coded them for an array of different variables, including video characteristics, officer representation, informational content, and behavioural content. The analyses reveal that in addition to including some technical information about the job, many videos also feature high-speed driving, the use of firearms, the demonstration of canine as well as special weapons and tactics units, and an emphasis on men, masculinity, and physicality. Although many videos still highlight some community-oriented behaviours, such behaviours are often less salient than the former. By cataloging recruitment videos, I both identify and interrogate the behaviours highlighted by police as part of their recruiting efforts and discuss the associated implications for people’s potential interest in policing careers.