Title
Phoenix Police Department Hiring Process
Description
This report provides the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee with information on the improved applicant hiring process, as well as provides information on where applicants may be disqualified from the process.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
Report
Summary
As discussed at previous meetings, the Phoenix Police Department has been dealing with various staffing challenges including low recruitment and hiring numbers. These challenges led to a comprehensive review of the recruiting and hiring processes of the organization. Beginning in September of 2021, recruiting, applicant testing, background investigation and polygraph examination responsibilities underwent review for comparison to national best practices, state-wide trends and alignment with current organizational needs. Many of the efficiencies that have been introduced were discussed in the March 9, 2022, Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee report. This report will focus specifically on the Department's hiring efficiencies that have been made, the timeline and phases and identify the areas where applicants are disqualified from the process.
Efficiencies
In an effort to streamline the hiring process, attract more applicants and have them tested and hired as quick as possible, the Department identified improvements in all areas of the Employment Services Bureau (ESB). Some of these efficiencies are:
- Applicants who have an Associates Degree or above are no longer required to take the written exam. Since implementation of the waiver, in the three written exams that have been held, 64 degree waivers have been granted.
- The Deputy Human Resources Director of City Human Resources Talent Acquisition is directly involved in all procedural changes to the recruit applicant testing.
- ESB supervisors and employees participate in police recruit testing to ensure applicants’ required entry paperwork is complete and the timely assignment to a background investigator. This has reduced the hiring time by one week.
- Effective April 4, 2022, the Polygraph Unit was reorganized: two examiners focused on criminal interviews and two focused on police recruit hiring. Previously, all examiners conducted both criminal and applicant polygraph examinations.
- Effective April 4, 2022, police recruit polygraph testing moved away from the Law Enforcement Pre-Employment Test (LEPET) model to the Direct Lie Screening Test (DLST) method. This allows the Department to be consistent with applicant hiring in Arizona and the western United States.
- Monthly strategy meetings between the Recruiting Unit and ESB to ensure efficient recruit testing processes and transition of applicants from recruiters to background investigators. The Human Resources Department is also invited to this meeting.
Hiring Process
Historically, the hiring process has taken upwards of three months or more and can be broken down into three phases. With the City Council approval of the ESoph software, ESB hopes to see a dramatic decrease in the time it takes to move applicants through the phases. See Attachment A to see the breakdown and approximate timelines for each phase. See Attachment B that shows the written exam dates for 2022 and the number of applicants who were invited, tested, passed, failed and forwarded on to ESB for processing.
Applicant Disqualification
There are various reasons that an applicant may be disqualified from the hiring process. As of April 17, 2022, ESB has received 275 applicants that are at various stages of the hiring process. To date, 93 have been disqualified due to the background investigation and six have been dismissed due to the polygraph exam. See below to see the reasons the 99 applicants were disqualified during the background investigation/polygraph exam:
- Drug Use History: 30%
- City Values/Not Most Qualified: 24%
- Crimes: 20%
- Voluntary Withdraw: 15%
- Integrity/False Information: 11%
On average, the Department hires around 14% of applicants. With the added efficiencies, shortened time frame and increased applicant assistance, ESB anticipates this percentage to increase.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Police Department.