Columbus police face recruiting challenge as city population grows

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — As the City of Columbus has grown in recent years, the number of sworn officers serving within the Columbus Division of Police has gotten smaller, according to population data and new city records obtained by ABC6/FOX 28 News.

The situation has created varying levels of concern with the president of the union representing CPD officers calling the recruiting scenario “a crisis,” while Mayor Andrew Ginther pointed out the city is seeing progress and 1st Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts stressed CPD is doing everything it can to add officers.

THE NUMBERS

According to annual estimates from the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), the population of Columbus grew from 896,955 in 2020 to 912,274 in 2023, an increase of 1.7%.

The latest staffing numbers from the city’s Department of Public Safety showed Columbus Police had 1,859 sworn officers as of March 2024, which was a 4.5% decrease from the 1,947 officers CPD had in March of 2020.

“We have a crisis right now. We do not have enough bodies filling the spots,” Fraternal Order of Police (F.O.P.) Capital City Lodge #9 President Brian Steel told ABC 6/FOX 28. “Right now, it’s hard to get somebody into public service.”

Previously, CPD shrank even smaller with 1,837 officers in March of 2023, a drop of 5.6% from 2020 staffing levels, according to city data.

Throughout 2023, CPD eventually grew after it gained 134 officers through recruits and lateral transfers from other departments, offsetting the 95 officers who left the division that year and leaving CPD with a net gain of 39 officers.

1st Assistant Chief LaShanna Potts, who oversees CPD’s recruiting efforts, said that growth showed CPD’s recruiting efforts are moving in the right direction.

“I stand here proudly that Columbus has done a really good job of getting people to join our department, even at the most awkward of times," Potts said.

She said the continuing difference between the city’s population growth and the division’s smaller size over the years didn't worry her.

“It doesn’t because we’re doing everything we possibly can to get those numbers up,” Potts said.

Still, Columbus has fallen behind Cleveland and Cincinnati in terms of the number of officers compared to population sizes.

According to staffing records and 2023 census estimates, which is the most recent year population data available for all three cities, Columbus has a ratio of 2.04 officers per 1,000 residents, while Cleveland has 3.24 and Cincinnati has 3.18.

The 2022 nationwide average is 2.4 officers per 1,000 residents, according to law enforcement employee data compiled by the FBI.

Mayor Andrew Ginther noted Columbus is larger than Cleveland and Cincinnati, and he said adding officers is a city priority.

“I think we are definitely seeing some progress since we saw record levels of separations,” Ginther said. “This is something that’s going to take time to get us where we need to be.”

THE POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS

F.O.P. President Brian Steel blames the recruiting challenges largely on the 2020 anti-police riots and Black Lives Matter protests that occurred over multiple days in Columbus following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

“Let’s be honest. In 2020, the police were vilified in the city. Some of our elected officials were vilifying police officers,” Steel said. “It’s nice to see that’s changed a little bit. We’re seeing the mayor’s office and city council publicly supporting our officers, which is great; however, we still have some issues from 2020, and that’s going to be hard to get over.”

In the aftermath of the protests, the city advanced major reforms of the tactics and equipment used by CPD. There was also an overhaul of police personnel, including a $20 million buyout for senior-level officers and the hiring of 1st Assistant Chief Potts and Chief Elaine Bryant, who made history as the first chief from outside the division and the first black woman to lead CPD.

During a press conference on June 24th 2020, Mayor Ginther said he was outraged by Floyd’s death “and countless other black men and women who died at the hands of police.”

“There are people with the division who aren’t interested in change, and who will seek to fight reform,” Ginther also said. “But I know racism exists, and police brutality is a manifestation of that racism.”

Ginther told ABC6/FOX28 he stands by those comments and doesn’t believe the city’s public conversation about police and racism has negatively impacted the number of CPD officers.

“I’m really proud of those comments. I think the people of this community understand that systemic racism exists everywhere,” Ginther said.

“The issue is this: We have to acknowledge it exists, then we have to own the remedy. That’s what we’ve done in this community is put in place historic reforms for transparency, oversight, accountability, while investing numbers of resources into officers.”

Both Ginther and Potts noted the recruiting struggles of police departments nationwide.

“None of us wants another 2020. So, it’s up to us as an agency to make sure that we follow best practices when we talk about policies and procedures, but also that we support our men and women,” Potts said.

A Justice Department report on police staffing released in October 2023 cited major struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic, a changing labor market, community frustration toward police, and officer safety concerns.

“Addressing these issues may necessitate the reexamination of agencies’ foundational organizational structure and processes to more clearly and easily meet the needs and expectations of both law enforcement and the community,” the report stated.

Steel said a variety of factors have led to an increase in officers leaving CPD, but he’s seen more officers deciding to depart earlier than the traditional timeframe.

“There are some who are resigning. There are some that go to other departments,” Steel said. “This is a 25-year job. There is a deferred retirement option program, which allows some officers to stay to 32. Generally, the norm was you stayed until the 32. Now, you’re just seeing officers leave at 25.”

THE PLAN AHEAD

Mayor Ginther has promised continued funding for an additional recruiting class in the city’s upcoming budget. Historically, CPD has graduated two classes a year, but in 2022 the city added a third class.

“Certainly, while I am mayor, this is going to be a priority because as our city grows, our division of police needs to grow too,” Ginther said.

“Our hope is by the end of next year, we will have more officers than we’ve ever had before in the city’s history.”

Both Ginther and 1st Assistant Chief Potts told ABC6/FOX28 they believe that goal is realistic.

Steel remained skeptical.

“I support on that goal. I hope it happens. I don’t see how that’s possible right now, but I really do hope it happens. The F.O.P. is pulling for that, “he said.

Potts said the division has expanded its recruiting efforts by accepting year-round applications, messaging on social media, and hosting one-day express hiring events, which reduces the application time for applicants.

“They come in. The application is already done. They talk to a background investigator. They do their polygraph testing. The only thing we don’t do on-site is the psychological test,” Potts said. “Those are barriers when you’re trying to get people from across the country to come here. Sometimes they don’t have three to four days to come back and forth. So, when you do a one-day hiring event, you get multiple people here.”

Potts said CPD has also had historic gains in attracting women as potential officers through its cadet training program, which offers young people between the ages of 18-20 part-time work within the division while getting continued education before admission to the Columbus Police Training Academy.

“Our goal is when they see how awesome it is to work live and play here, they want to choose Columbus Division of Police as their next home because it’s competitive. It’s competitive across the state. It’s competitive across the country,” Pott said.

The 2023 cadet class had 88% diversity, which included the largest percentage of females since the program began, according to the Department of Public Safety.

So far, 23 former cadets have advanced to further employment with CPD.

In addition to the $200,00 budgeted for police and fire recruiting efforts in 2024, the state of Ohio gave the city a $1 million grant in July 2023 to boost recruitment efforts.

City officials said they’re finalizing the contract with a vendor to begin using those state funds.

Additionally, last month Columbus City Council approved an $89,760 no-bid contract with Gannett Media Corp. for recruitment marketing that will include emails, snap chat ads, search engine marketing, Facebook, and newspaper print ads, according to the city.

Potts said CPD has been working to identify how to remove additional employment barriers. She said departments in other large cities have created daycare programs, allowing officers round-the-clock childcare options.

“We’re always looking at best practices across the country,” she said.

Potts said a successful recruiting year for her would result in more men and women joining the division.

“I think anytime you can increase our numbers is a win,” Potts said. “So, would love to have 150? Absolutely, but I’ll take a solid 80 or 90 any day.”

Steel said part of the challenge lies in attracting candidates who can pursue more financially lucrative careers in the private sector.

“There has never been a more challenging time to be a police officer in the city of Columbus. There’s never been a better time. This is an honorable, outstanding job, and the overwhelming amount of public support us,” Steel said. “It’s important that, if you’re a young recruit coming in, you have to convince them that.”

A recently approved contract between the city and F.O.P. includes a 15% across-the-board pay increase for Columbus officers over three years.