Dive Brief:

• The Justice Department and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) just released a comprehensive report that examines barriers and promising practices in recruitment, hiring and retention for advancing diversity in law enforcement. 
• The report, developed with support from the Center for Policing Equity, looks to to provide law enforcement agencies, especially small- and mid-size ones, with a resource to enhance the workforce diversity by highlighting specific strategies and efforts in place in police departments nationwide.
• To create the report, Justice and EEOC engaged with dozens of law enforcement leaders, officials and officers; researchers; civil rights advocates and other experts, building on the recommendations of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The report fosters the notion that while greater workforce diversity alone cannot ensure fair and effective policing, a significant — and growing — body of evidence suggests that diversity can make policing more effective, safe and just. 

Dive Insight:

Many smaller public entities may not have HR professionals on staff, but this initiative from the federal government may represent a good chance for them to improve diversity, which, among other benefits, can improve relations with the communities police serve, address language barriers, make police departments more open to reform and potentially reduce racial bias.

And even though the report is geared towards law enforcement agencies, public and private sector HR leaders may want to take a look at it, as it might identify traditional barriers to a diverse workforce in general. Today, HR needs all the help it can get. The report also highlights real-world examples of how law enforcement agencies have effectively implemented smart policies in this area. .