About US
There is growing research on the best strategies for recruiting, retaining, and supporting qualified officers.
This includes:
- effective marketing strategies that highlight the various tasks and roles performed by police officers,
- broadening the public perception of policework,
- and engaging in proactive recruitment efforts in our communities.
However, many of these proven strategies are not yet put into action by police agencies across the United States. Students and potential recruits need more information and support to understand what a career in this field can look like for them and how they can be integral to creating the change needed in policing today.
The core ASPIRE Project team consists of a multidisciplinary group of people from RTI International, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA), the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE), the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Law Enforcement Executives and Administrators Association (HBCU-LEEA), and the Hispanic Association Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA). The project uses transformative research principles to engage Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students, law enforcement and other community members to strengthen, diversify, and provide support to the policing field.
ASPIRE is about helping students and aspiring law enforcement officers succeed and thrive in their careers. We’re here to develop creative recruitment strategies that promote a modernized, community-centered approach and prioritize health and wellness among the workforce. Our goal is to make sure current and future generations of officers get the support and opportunities they deserve. We do this by helping to build strong connections between law enforcement and the community, bring value and optimism to policing, and break down barriers that have prevented meaningful progress. By teaming up with students, law enforcement, and the community to tackle past and present roadblocks in recruiting and career support, we can elevate policing as an exciting and promising profession.
