Stakeholder perceptions of a community role in police officer hiring

Purpose Police departments across the country have been encouraged to use their hiring process as one potential mechanism to meet reform agendas. The Schenectady (NY) Police Department has adhered to these recommendations by integrating a panel of community members into the departmental hiring process. The Community Hiring Panel is a unique form of community engagement and involvement in departmental processes. Functionally, panel members meet with each police officer candidate to share community perspectives and expectations of policing. They also provide feedback on their perceptions of a candidate's potential as a Schenectady police officer, and this information is used in the hiring decision. Design/methodology/approach We examine stakeholder perceptions of the Schenectady Police Department's Community Hiring Panel. We interviewed panelists, members of Schenectady Police Department's hiring staff, and officers hired after the panel's implementation. Findings We discuss findings regarding stakeholder perceptions of the panel's goals, perceived impacts and recommendations for adoption in other jurisdictions. Stakeholders perceive that the biggest impact of the Community Hiring Panel has been learning new information about candidates that stakeholders believe may not have been obtained through traditional processes. Originality/value Schenectady is the first department of which we are aware to incorporate a community panel's input into the hiring process and meaningfully incorporate feedback, thereby providing lessons for others seeking to promote community engagement through sustainable partnership.