APD Highlights Improved Retention and Recruiting
Mayor Keller and Chief Medina announced an increase in retention and recruiting numbers for the Albuquerque Police Department in comparison to recent years. Recruiting strategies and improvements at early stages of hiring have attributed to the increase in retention.
The 128th Cadet Class will graduate February 5, 2024 with 54 cadets who will move on to on the job training. The 129th Cadet Class began on January, 29, 2024 with 52 cadets. 50% of the cadets in the current class are from the Albuquerque area as well as a cadet from Australia and another from Puerto Rico.
“Working in law enforcement is a calling, and I’m thankful to every individual who has expressed interest in serving this community,” said Chief Harold Medina. “Also, to our current officers who have chosen to stay with the department longer than 20 years, you continue to fulfill your commitment to making our city a safer place to live and your service does not go unnoticed.”
The department reported the following numbers on retention:
- 2021- 63 resignations, 97 retirements
- 2022 – 59 resignations, 97 retirements
- 2023 – 40 resignations, 35 retirements
In 2022, Chief Medina implemented a retention package to help encourage senior police officers to stick around for longer than 20 years of service. The department has also implemented a pre-academy for applicants to attend before the official academy begins which has improved early retention at the academy. The pre-academy helps to inform applicants on what to expect in the academy, prepares them for testing, and understanding the basics of the department’s structure.
“More officers training and staying in the department, means more officers on city streets, meaning a safer community” said Mayor Tim Keller. “We have seen these numbers improve over the past couple of years, and can see in the data that our recruiting and retention efforts are making an impact.”
As part of their recruiting efforts, APD has encouraged young adults, age 18 and over, to apply for the Police Service Aide and Transit Safety Officer positions as a way to explore a future as a police officer.
For more information on becoming a police officer for the Albuquerque Police Department visit APD Online.