San Francisco police reports surge in recruits; entry-level applications up 40%
By Tim Fang
The San Francisco Police Department reported the largest surge of recruits in years as it seeks to address an ongoing staffing shortage, city officials said.
In a statement Wednesday, the department said it has received 3,375 entry-level applications so far this year, up 40%. Another 195 officers from other departments have applied for a lateral move, an increase of 364%. The department reported the SFPD Academy has seen four full classes in a row and that there is a net positive increase in officers on the street for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our political officials and the public support our police, and we’re helping make San Francisco safer than ever before. Working for the SFPD and serving the community is an incredibly rewarding career,” said interim chief Paul Yep.
Yep cited multiple reasons for the surge in applicants, including an “aggressive” hiring strategy, competitive pay and benefits, along with Mayor Daniel Lurie’s “Rebuilding the Ranks” initiative.
The initiative included steps to accelerate hiring and increase outreach, along with allowing recent police retirees to staff special events and shifting administrative work to civilian staff. In addition, the department said it worked with the Mayor’s Office of Innovation to implement solutions to address hiring bottlenecks.
According to the department, the time it takes to hire new recruits has been cut by 50% and graduations have increased by more than 20%, which it says is happening without compromising training standards.
“Thanks to our Rebuilding the Ranks plan to fully staff our police department and sheriff’s office, we are seeing real progress: Crime is down 30% citywide and at its lowest point in decades, with more applications coming in, hiring moving more quickly, and more officers coming through the academy,” Lurie said.
On Tuesday, city officials touted new crime statistics which found violent crime is down 18% so far this year and the number of homicides in San Francisco on pace to be at a 70-year low.
In addition to more police officers, similar reforms are being credited for the largest increase in the number of sheriff’s deputies in a decade.
According to a city analysis, SFPD has about 1,500 sworn officers, while the recommended staffing level is more than 2,000 officers. The department said it has largely relied on overtime to meet public safety needs.
A fifth police academy scheduled to begin in December.
