Posted by: Richie Bernardo

Law enforcement is a career that is always in the public eye, whether it’s for heroic reasons or scandal. It’s a profession that more than 900,000 Americans hold, knowing full well the hazards associated with their occupation. In the past 10 years, for instance, more than 1,500 police officers, including 129 in 2017 alone, died in the line of duty. Tens of thousands more were assaulted and injured.

Because of such risks, law-enforcement agencies must offer enough incentives to attract and retain officers. So what qualities define a good place to live and work for police? To start, there’s a $62,960 mean annual wage that exceeds the $50,620 for all occupations. On top of that, there’s typically a generous benefits package can include retirement-contribution matches, tuition assistance, ample leave time, a take-home vehicle, and access to health and fitness facilities. Officers also may begin drawing full retirement benefits as early as age 40, depending on when they entered the force.

Beyond financial perks, officers are more likely to be attracted to police departments that steer clear of scandal and corruption and that are transparent with their communities. Public opinion on police remains divided, with younger people and minorities rating them much less positively than older caucasians. Naturally, police departments that have better relations with the areas they patrol are more attractive to new officers.

In order, therefore, to determine the best states in which to pursue a law-enforcement career, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 25 key indicators of police-friendliness. Our data set ranges from median income for law-enforcement officers to police deaths per 1,000 officers to state and local police-protection expenses per capita. Read on for our findings, commentary from a panel of researchers and full description of our methodology.

1. Main Findings
2. Ask the Experts
3. Methodology

Main Findings

Embed on your website<iframe src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/embed/34669/geochart-stressed-states.html" width="556" height="347" frameBorder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe> <div style="width:556px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="https://ift.tt/2InsamH>  

Best States to Be a Cop

Overall Rank (1=Best)	State	Total Score	‘Opportunity & Competition’ Rank	‘Job Hazards & Protections’ Rank	‘Quality of Life’ Rank
1	North Dakota	62.99	9	5	1
2	New York	59.93	2	15	12
3	Connecticut	58.48	37	1	8
4	Minnesota	57.89	13	3	27
5	California	56.87	3	6	32
6	Washington	56.84	5	4	33
7	Illinois	56.27	7	20	10
8	Texas	55.05	8	21	19
9	Maryland	53.71	12	29	7
10	Maine	52.91	48	2	15
11	New Hampshire	52.19	35	23	2
12	District of Columbia	51.62	1	49	37
13	Indiana	51.60	25	11	17
14	Massachusetts	51.50	10	9	41
15	Pennsylvania	51.36	6	27	30
16	New Jersey	50.13	17	10	36
17	South Dakota	49.95	45	7	6
18	Florida	49.90	44	17	5
19	Ohio	49.74	22	13	29
20	Michigan	49.65	11	35	21
21	Nebraska	49.35	21	8	35
22	Kansas	49.26	23	43	3
23	North Carolina	48.60	15	14	43
24	Hawaii	48.20	30	28	16
25	Arizona	48.15	16	34	26
26	Colorado	47.99	4	44	31
27	Rhode Island	47.53	26	22	28
28	Oklahoma	47.27	32	32	13
29	Virginia	46.84	20	12	48
30	Nevada	46.59	24	42	11
31	Iowa	46.34	28	25	25
32	Mississippi	45.35	27	41	14
33	Wisconsin	45.10	33	31	23
34	Oregon	44.66	40	26	24
35	Utah	44.63	51	19	9
36	Delaware	44.61	47	24	20
37	Vermont	44.19	29	18	45
38	Wyoming	43.88	18	36	42
39	Alabama	43.47	38	40	18
40	Georgia	42.97	34	16	49
41	Montana	41.47	31	46	22
42	Missouri	40.75	43	33	38
43	Tennessee	40.62	36	30	47
44	South Carolina	40.00	39	38	39
45	West Virginia	39.52	50	47	4
46	Kentucky	39.36	41	39	40
47	New Mexico	37.74	14	50	44
48	Alaska	37.39	19	51	34
49	Idaho	37.01	46	37	46
50	Louisiana	32.00	42	48	50
51	Arkansas	31.78	49	45	51

 

Ask the Experts

The future of law enforcement rests in the hands of policy, the availability of resources, and the relationship between cops and the residents they vow to serve and protect. To advance the discussion, we asked a panel of experts for their insight on the following key questions:

1. What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?
2. What is the long-term outlook for the law-enforcement field?
3. Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?
4. What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?
5. What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

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• Malkia A. Cyril Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Media Justice (CMJ) and Co-Founder of the Media Action Grassroots Network
• Wayne A. Johnson Law Enforcement & Justice Administration and Forensic Science Program Coordinator at William Rainey Harper College
• James Palmer Executive Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association
• Gary LaFree Distinguished Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland
• Ronald T. Hosko President of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund
• W. Jesse Weins Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Dean of the College of Leadership and Public Service at Dakota Wesleyan University
• Chiraag Bains Director of Legal Strategies, Demos
• William Vizzard Professor, California State University Sacramento, Department of Criminal Justice
• Don Kamin Director of the Institute for Police, Mental Health & Community Collaboration
• Gregg W. Etter Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Missouri
• Jeff Rush Chair of the Criminal Justice Department at Troy University

Malkia A. Cyril Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Media Justice (CMJ) and Co-Founder of the Media Action Grassroots Network

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

The two biggest issues facing police officers today are the lack of legal measures to hold police accountable when cops commit acts of brutal violence or murder, and the increased use of police technologies without community oversight or transparency. Together, these two issues make policing more dangerous for civilians and cops.

What is the long-term outlook for the law enforcement field?

As community trust in law enforcement reaches an all-time low, and police are used by elected officials to enforce draconian laws that harm immigrants, Black communities, Muslims and others -- the call for abolition of policing as we know it grows louder. The outlook for the law enforcement field depends largely on whether significant reforms can be made that find new approaches to security and accountability that are more community-based and less dangerous.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

Police departments should not invest more in technology and equipment, or focus on training and other attempts at developing soft skills in community policing. It's very clear that until police are held accountable by the courts and other independent entities for the violence they perpetrate on communities, more toys and training won't improve policing for anyone but the police.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

Police should recognize and admit, first and foremost, that conflict between cops and civilians isn't a question of trust, it's a question of power. This conflict is historic and has been developed over centuries of targeted racial abuse by police officers against civilians of color, the homeless, mentally ill, activists and others. It's not an interpersonal problem, but an institutional one. Second, police departments should immediately adopt transparency rules, and disclose information about tools or practices that may harm civilians -- like acquisition of military or tech tools, or patterns of abuse. Third, cities should reallocate funds away from policing and into infrastructure and educational investments that strengthen communities and reduce mass incarceration.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

Diversity is not the problem. If police departments across the United States continue to kill and harm Black civilians and others at unprecedented rates, the racial bias exists regardless of who is administering it. A system that enacts white supremacy can have a Black figurehead, it doesn't make it less racist. Focus on divestment, not diversity.

Wayne A. Johnson Law Enforcement & Justice Administration and Forensic Science Program Coordinator at William Rainey Harper College

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

The issues, like with most other working adults, are: supporting families and living with ridiculous taxes. As police officers, we are experiencing things that no other profession experiences -- i.e., a constant barrage of unsubstantiated media attacks, the lack of political support and the never-ending anti-police movement in Chicagoland.

What is the long-term outlook for the law enforcement field?

Remarkably, on the academic side, we see great interest in the field and prepare students to take on the challenge -- however, according to the Department of Labor, Cook County and the City of Chicago fall behind national projections for growth. It seems that political leadership prefers investing in social programs that produce votes rather than maintaining public safety through police staffing levels. Chicago has reduced the size of their department substantially over the last decade or so.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

When you take a good look at the police departments in the region they are doing both. However, the media and the anti-police movement ignore these advances.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

I don't think any more can be done. Police leadership bends over backwards to work with communities, yet when one incident does not meet their standards, they attack (there will always be those select incidents in Chicago that trigger the media and the Anti-Police movement, look at the stats). That is why progressive policing policies of the past are gone. Street stops are down 80 percent and violent crime is on the rise. It seems that young officers want to go home at night and not lose their jobs because of bias media coverage, go figure.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

The strategies used to diversify the Chicago Police Department over the last 20 years are strong recruiting campaigns, minimization of requirements and race norming. Every recruit class that enters the Police Academy in Chicago meets the political standards set forth by leadership. Are they getting the very best?

James Palmer Executive Director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

Two of the most prominent issues facing law enforcement today are communication and recruitment. In terms of communication, the law enforcement community needs to do more to educate and engage the public with regards to its needs, its challenges, and the manner by which it serves the public. For a variety of reasons, law enforcement has largely maintained a long-standing history of being significantly introverted and reticent about undertaking outreach efforts on issues of public concern, such as those related to the use-of-force. While substantial gains have been made across the country in the post-Ferguson era, law enforcement should work on a more consistent basis, and not just in the wake of a controversial incident involving the police, to engage the public on these issues, enhance the public awareness on law enforcement training, policing strategies and deployment, and the dynamic challenges our officers must confront as they work to keep our communities safe.

With over 10,000 members, the WPPA is Wisconsin's largest law enforcement group. For the last several years, we have worked to promote transparency, accountability, and an ongoing public discourse on issues related to policing in our state. For instance, in working with citizen advocates, we helped lead the successful charge in 2014 to make Wisconsin the first state in the country to mandate that all officer-involved deaths be independently investigated and that the results of those investigations be made accessible to the public. Additionally, for each of the last six years, the WPPA has commissioned a statewide poll of the public on a variety of issues related to criminal justice and policing, such as body-worn cameras, perceptions about police shootings, and the gun control. We then use those poll results to travel around the state to promote a community-wide dialogue on those issues. As far as we have been able to discern, we are the only state police organization in the country to undertake such an effort.

Through efforts such as these, we've been able to see a distinct improvement in the relationship between our law enforcement community and the people we serve. We've established relationships that we didn't have before, particularly with the media and communities of color, and we would like to believe that we've been able to play a more assertive role in leading a constructive dialogue, as opposed to being in a more reactive situation.

Regardless of our efforts and the benefits that we believe they have brought about, law enforcement agencies in Wisconsin are not immune from the recruitment challenges that appear common throughout the rest of the country. The number of people entering the law enforcement profession has been on the decline for several years, and agencies at all levels appear to be struggling with attracting and retaining officers. While there is no data to necessarily qualify the cause of this decline, it is commonly believed to stem in no small measure from the considerable scrutiny facing police officers today.

What is the long-term outlook for the law enforcement field?

While many in law enforcement agree that this is a challenging era for the officers that police our communities, the last few years provide good reason for an optimistic long-term outlook for the profession. While more needs to be done to bridge the gap between law enforcement and communities of color, significant gains have been made in the last few years as law enforcement continues to become more sensitive to the perspectives of the communities they serve and more willing to engage those public perceptions. If this continues to occur, and I am confident that it will, the critical narratives in the media that appear to discourage some individuals from entering the profession will diminish.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

I don't believe those approaches are mutually exclusive and that law enforcement will have to invest in both technology and training in order to strike the always-delicate balance of maintaining public safety and officer safety, while also strengthening the credibility needed to provide those essential services.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

First and foremost, I believe that it's critically-important that law enforcement continues to pursue more consistent outreach efforts to educate and engage the public on the policing issues of public concern.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

Law enforcement agencies that are not afraid to engage the public, especially communities of color, will fare better in attracting candidates from those communities. While law enforcement ought not bear the brunt for all of the issues facing its officers, there is much that the profession can do to help improve those dynamics. Whether it's in strengthening the relationships between police agencies and the communities they serve, or in addressing the decline in those pursuing law enforcement as a career, a great many benefits can come from a more communicative, proactive, and open law enforcement culture.

Gary LaFree Distinguished Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) at the University of Maryland

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

A huge challenge facing police today is threading the needle between treating all persons with dignity and respect, but at the same time being aggressive crime fighters. This is a real challenge -- especially in a society as factitious and heavily armed as our own. The police are also having to deal with the many repercussions of the Black Lives Matter movement. Again, there are challenges posed by providing the aggressive policing that at least some people claim they want, while also being vigilant to protect civil liberties.

What is the long-term outlook for the law enforcement field?

Certainly, in no danger of being replaced by artificial intelligence at this point. Security-related positions have been a growth industry for years.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

My vote would be to do more in terms of community policing. That said, police departments are undergoing a revolution in terms of data management systems. This movement has allowed police -- at least in big cities -- to utilize resources in a far more efficient manner.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

To begin with, staffing for diversity is critical. Getting to know the community is an absolute necessity. Training is imperative. But I think we will also have to accept that despite all of these measures, there will still be problems.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

Starting recruitment efforts for minorities early on with outreach programs to high schools and even middle schools.

Ronald T. Hosko President of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

It now starts with recruitment and hiring the right people. Across the country, applicant pools have dried up, making the work of police departments far more challenging to find enough of the "right" people to go into the profession. I think the last several years of high-interest police/citizen events, criticisms of the police from different vectors, and sometimes low starting pay, are all factors in young men and women pulling back from looking at policing as a career.

What is the long-term outlook for the law enforcement field?

There are many opportunities for those considering a career here but public perception, pay, training and promotion opportunities, and the evolution of the needs of the work all has to improve. To do that, communities must commit to investing as though policing is a part of our critical infrastructure. Poorly paid, trained, and led police will fail, so the investment should occur before a crisis. Trust and confidence in law enforcement is vital to the success of police, so transparency and accountability are critically important. With these factors in place, law enforcement can and will succeed, but without them, we'll continue to hop from crisis to crisis.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

I think both. We're in a post-9/11 world where tech and equipment investments are important to keep up with and manage intelligence. Local law enforcement is way behind in effectively addressing a cyber threat that touches every community and threatens every person with a digital device. They need to invest massively just to keep up with that, including educating prosecutors and judges who'll have to understand the threat and crimes and how to investigate/prosecute them.

Soft skills and community policing is always needed. We have a significant mental illness problem in America. Today's police need the skills to identify that in people they encounter, and to manage it other than by force and incarceration. But, there needs to be enough police on the street to actually move from a situation where overburdened cops are driving from call to call, to a place where police have the time to park, get out, walk around and get to know their community. To some extent, that's a numbers game that has been a losing venture -- too many PDs are understaffed and dependent on paying overtime to the too few police they have. Add robust training (where possible) and you simply don't have the workforce to do maximum community policing. Again, investment is needed.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

I see community policing and relationships as a multilateral obligation. It's not enough for the community to point at police limitations and perceived mistakes. The community must invest, demand enough police, the right training and equipment and leadership, and community leaders must step up to insist on an engaged police department. Police executives set the tone internally, so the "brass" should lead the charge on community engagement and push outreach to every officer. Doing it right can change the image of police, lower the "temperature" in the community, and build a reservoir of trust that may need to be tapped if a difficult event occurs. This should apply to every community.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

This has proven difficult across the country. My former boss, Jim Comey, was pushing diversity and the FBI had worked hard to have a diverse workforce for decades. Despite the efforts, we consistently fell below having our workforce mirror the general population. More can always be done and should be done. That likely means more engagement with the community, and especially in the high schools and colleges to make the work more attractive to potential candidates. It means officers of color, women officers, engaging in targeted outreach, mentoring, nudging, etc. Pay, leadership, the department's ethos all play into finding, hiring and keeping the right people, as well as giving them opportunities to grow once hired.

Most people taking law enforcement jobs aren't doing it for the money. They are willing to make the financial sacrifice for doing work they see as important. But the other negatives have to be mitigated somehow, too. That sounds like a marketing effort and maybe that's what's needed more broadly.

W. Jesse Weins Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice & Dean of the College of Leadership and Public Service at Dakota Wesleyan University

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

The biggest issues facing police today include the resurgence nationally of heightened community-police tensions, communications technology and social media advances, and police ethics and use of discretion. All of these involve cultural tensions, socio-economic complications, and proper officer training and professional development.

What is the long term outlook for the law enforcement field?

The long-term outlook for law enforcement is actually very good. There is a consistent need for qualified persons to serve as officers. The prison industry is notoriously expensive. States and the federal government have been trying to limit the number of persons that become incarcerated. Some of these strategies recognize that public service and safety require stable or increased numbers of law enforcement officers in the community. And strategies recognize using these officers in diverse ways. So the profession is valued and varied. Likewise, compensation and career lifestyle have been improving historically. Pay and benefits have risen above just a basic living wage in many regions, and more officers than ever before have higher levels of education. Agencies do suffer slim staffing and high workloads, as do related kinds of public service employers. But on the whole the outlook is positive.

Difficulties remain, however, with some facets. Finding qualified officers for highly rural communities remains challenging, as does recruiting minority and female officers. Also in question could become the "attractiveness" of the career path in some communities, given negative stigma and a high level of burnout. But these have existed to some degree historically, and the profession continues to attract qualified and committed personnel in general.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

Police will be most successful when they are viewed (and view themselves) as part of the community. This requires soft skills and a general embeddedness within the community. Technology and equipment is really tangential to the question. It cannot achieve this independently. While it can help, in some ways it can also hinder the goal. Pro-active and community policing, on the other hand, e.g. problem-solving and service-oriented policing, are more significant than technological advancement. Those things should be the primary focus. These strategies may call for increased technology and equipment. But it should be technology applications from evidence-based research. There should not be further militarization of police through technological means. In other words, technology used in the context of developing safe communities is certainly good. Technology for general monitoring or power-wielding is not good in the long run.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

Police need to resemble their communities. And they must be sufficiently trained in the cultural and intercultural issues of their particular communities. It is therefore important that agencies focus on employing minorities and women to achieve this. But it is also important for all officers to understand how cultural differences impact their activities. Such differences include different communication styles (e.g., high-context versus low-context) and increase the likelihood of miscommunications and potentially frustrating and dangerous situations. Segments of officers' neighborhoods may have very different expectations from police encounters and different ways of expressing their needs in given situations. Even good intentions can easily be misunderstood. Most police forces are not prepared for their communities' growing ethnic and cultural diversity. Development of soft skills generally will do some good, but also critical is intercultural training and awareness in particular.

Chiraag Bains Director of Legal Strategies, Demos

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

The biggest issue facing police today is a crisis of public confidence. We have seen examples of racial discrimination, viral videos documenting misconduct, and widespread protest against incidents of police violence and the lack of accountability. Officers themselves report that it's a difficult time to be in law enforcement. And there are consequences for officers' ability to protect the rest of us. When people do not trust the police, they are less likely to report crime and cooperate as witnesses. This undermines public safety -- often in the communities that need police service most.

The challenge is for the police profession to meet this crisis of confidence head on. It won't do to ignore the criticism, to mischaracterize it as a "war on cops," or to insist that police misconduct is just a matter of a few bad apples.

Police are public servants. They have the power to use force, even deadly force, in our names. In a democratic system that values liberty and free speech, that means people have the right and duty to scrutinize them.

Rhetoric about a so-called "war on cops" is dangerous. It pits communities against law enforcement. It creates an us vs. them mentality that prevents people from seeing each other as fundamentally connected. It undermines public safety. And it corrodes our democracy by saying to millions of people who have found their voices, your government doesn't hear you.

The "few bad apples" narrative is downright wrong -- and also deeply unfair to cops. It attempts to blame individual officers for all that is problematic in policing today. In fact, the most pressing problems in policing stem from policy decision made far above the pay grade of a beat officer, often by elected officials who have never patrolled the streets.

Take stop-and-frisk in New York City. From 2002 to 2011, the number of pedestrian stops made by NYPD skyrocketed from 97,000 to 686,000. A federal judge found this program unconstitutional because people were being stopped unlawfully and in a racially discriminatory manner. Where should the blame lie for those violations of the Constitution? Line officers didn't spontaneously decide to increase the number of stops seven-fold themselves. That was a policy decision made by city leadership and the top brass of the NYPD.

Ferguson, Missouri, provides another example. The community in Ferguson came to resent the police because they operated as a ticketing and collections agency, and they operated that way because the city used them to generate revenue for its annual budget. The Finance Director was making policy around officer deployment and shift schedules in order to maximize revenue, with the police chief following his lead. Line officers were pressured to issue as many tickets as they could and to arrest people whose poverty caused them to miss payments on their outstanding court fines and fees. In Baltimore, officers complained that they were pressured to make their numbers -- keep their stops and arrests high -- by an administration eager to show it was doing something about crime. In both cases, the result was a pattern of constitutional violations. That's not a matter of bad apples. It's a systemic problem that must be addressed at the level of policy, training, and accountability to the community.

So how to build trust? First, police must respect the constitutional rights of all people. Violation of people's core rights -- their freedom to walk down the street, their right to bodily integrity, their right to be free from excessive force, their right to be treated equally regardless of who they are or what they look like -- is at the core of distrust.

Second, there can be no trust without accountability. Officers must be held accountable -- whether criminally, in the civil system, or by internal discipline, depending on the situation -- when they abuse their authority. When the members of the public see officers using excessive force or engaging in racial profiling without being held to account, they come to see the justice system as rigged. That weakens our institutions and tears at our social fabric.

Third, policing should reflect the needs and priorities of the community. Residents should be intimately involved in the design and operation of a police department. This means they should have meaningful input into policy, training, recruitment, and accountability systems. Police data and activity must be as transparent as possible.

What is the long term outlook for the law enforcement field?

I'm optimistic that the field can build trust with disaffected communities by being proactive. Already, we have a cadre of police chiefs and commanders who understand that systemic misconduct is real and must be addressed through long-term systems change. And communities are more organized than ever, vigilant about their rights and replete with ideas for reform.

At the same time, the rest of our institutions need to adapt. Right now, we ask police to do the job of social support systems that we have underfunded. We ask officers to respond to school discipline problems, family disputes, mental health crises, homelessness, and situations that stem from chronic poverty. They cannot do all of these jobs. No one can. We need to invest in education, dispute resolution, social services, and affordable and emergency housing. We as citizens must take responsibility for each other. We can't simply call the police and then blame them when things go wrong.

We've also got to talk honestly about the issue of guns in America. Many tragic police shootings occur because an officer fears for his life. Cases in which officers mistook a cell phone or wallet for a gun abound. Whether reasonable or unreasonable, that fear often results from the reality that guns are everywhere. Policing in a society awash with guns is incredibly challenging.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community poling?

In many police departments, there has been an overinvestment in military-grade equipment. At the same time, there has been an underinvestment in the types of training and technology that could help ensure constitutional policing and avoid bad outcomes. For example, police departments should invest in incident tracking and data collection systems that can show how officers are deployed and whether they are enforcing the law in a neutral and impartial manner. They should invest much more training time in communications skills and de-escalation tactics.

William Vizzard Professor, California State University Sacramento, Department of Criminal Justice

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

I don't know if there is a universal issue. Salaries are good on the coasts, but cost of living very high. In the heartland, pay is not nearly as good.

Working hours and schedules are a big issue with a lot of folks. Policing is a 24/7 operation. Somebody has to work mid-watch and weekends. I found that even among criminal justice majors, quite a few were put off by the potential for confrontation and conflict associated with the job.

Among a significant segment of the minority populations, there is stigma. Likewise, most upper middle class families do not see policing as a prestige occupation.

What is the long term outlook for the law enforcement field?

You can't offshore it, and it is difficult to automate. I would say good.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

Basic academy training has expanded immensely as has on the job training for new officers. On the other hand, there is limited data on the quality and effectiveness of training. That is where I would focus effort.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

This would take a book. It begins with selection and training, requires that this goal be imbedded in organizational culture and requires a commitment to service. Concurrently, success requires a certain amount of positive response from the community. Finally, police can only do so much. Isolated communities with poor schools, limited job opportunities and cultural disorganization are always a problem to police. The police will always be the public agency receiving the most hostility from communities that feel disenfranchised and abandoned.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

Urban police have been pretty successful. African Americans are represented at their rate in the population. Hispanics lag somewhat, but some of that can be attributed to the portion of non-citizens and the number of first generation that lack education and language skills. Asians and women lag, primarily because they do not apply in the same proportions as other groups. Clearly, improving image in minority neighborhoods, targeted recruiting and early positive contacts with young people all help.

Don Kamin Director of the Institute for Police, Mental Health & Community Collaboration

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

One of the biggest issues facing police officers today is how to respond to citizens experiencing mental health crises, most of whom have not violated any laws. Estimates vary regarding the percentage of police calls that are mental health-related, although almost all law enforcement officials agree that these sorts of calls have been increasing in recent years. Judging from press reports and social media coverage, it might surprise some readers to know that the majority of interactions between law enforcement and those with mental illness result in positive outcomes. Nevertheless, there are two problems that occur as a result of these interactions: 1) Individuals get seriously hurt or killed (usually the injured party is the citizen with mental illness), and 2) Individuals with serious mental illness are incarcerated at a disproportionate rate.

Many police departments have developed Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs in collaboration with community partners to address these two problems. Simply put, CIT programs aim to transform the crisis response system to minimize the times that law enforcement officers are the first responders to citizens in emotional distress. If there is a mental health crisis, there should be a mental health response. Therefore, assessing the current crisis response system (and advocating for enhancements) is a first step in developing a CIT program. Unlike other specialized police teams, CIT programs rely on ongoing collaboration with others outside of law enforcement, primarily the mental health system and consumer advocacy groups.

Another integral part of CIT development involves a week-long training program about recognizing and responding to mental illness and related disorders. The training is designed for experienced officers who volunteer and are screened for suitability to be part of the CIT program. While all officers receive some mental health-related instruction in their academy training, CIT officers, like members of other specialized law enforcement teams, should be volunteers who are judged to be a good fit for the assignment. The aim of CIT training is to ensure that when law enforcement officers are the first responders, they have the knowledge, skills, and support to de-escalate situations and divert people from the criminal and juvenile justice systems, when it's appropriate to do so.

What is the long term outlook for the law enforcement field?

Since its inception in 1988, in Memphis, the number of CIT programs have continued to increase. As law enforcement departments continue to recognize the benefits of increased collaboration with others, and research continues to demonstrate their effectiveness, CIT programs will become even more commonplace.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

Technology and soft skills (e.g., communication techniques) are both important and police departments need to continue to invest in both areas. In fact, technology can be used to enhance certain skills. For example, the widespread adoption of body-cameras offers an opportunity to use those recordings as an ongoing supervision and teaching tool. This is important in not only reviewing critical incidents, but also in day-to-day interactions where no adverse outcome has occurred.

Another area of overlap includes the use of mobile apps - where officers contact a mental health professional for immediate consultation using an iPad that allows the clinician to see and assess the distressed citizen directly. This technology could be used as an ongoing teaching and supervision tool as well.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

Increased collaboration, the hallmark of CIT programs, likely leads to improved relationships across all segments of a community.

Gregg W. Etter Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Central Missouri

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

There are two overwhelming issues in policing today. The first issue is trust of the public. The police must have the trust of the public that they serve or they are an occupying army. Trust of the police in the United States has been eroded by politicians who are looking to get re-elected by any means necessary. The politicization of policing beginning with the United States Attorney General's Office, working its way down through governor's office and down to the mayor has adversely effected the morale and efficiency of law enforcement in the United States today. In response to special interest groups, political pressure and a media that is interested in a headline (true or not), the police chief is often the first one to be thrown under the bus. An example of this happened in Chicago. Chief Gary McCarthy had introduced new patrolling techniques to the Chicago PD that had resulted in the murder rate being almost cut in half. Under political pressure, Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired him after a questionable police use of force incident. The next year, the murder rate in Chicago climbed right back up to where it had been before Chief McCarthy took over. The "Ferguson Effect" is real. Community policing can only work if the police are doing proactive patrolling, not just answering calls. The second issue is funding. The first thing that the politicians like to do is threaten to cut police and fire services in a budget crunch. Often they actually do. This has led to layoffs in some areas. It has also resulted in police slots not being filled. The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department had over 100 police officer slots that they were not being allowed to fill for budgetary reasons. This not only effects more, but it effects efficiency as well. You can only be so many places at once. Response time suffers.

What is the long term outlook for the law enforcement field?

The nation will continue to need an effective law enforcement presence in the community. There will be jobs in law enforcement available. However, these jobs are becoming more and more competitive in the more desirable agencies. Overall, the quality of law enforcement over the last 50 years has risen substantially. It will continue to rise in reaction to the changing social and political environment of the nation. As law enforcement becomes more complicated, it will require a workforce of better educated employees who are tough enough to survive in the changing conditions that we find ourselves in on the streets and at city hall.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

Technology is great when it is universally available and if it actually works. Things like dashboard cameras have proved their worth as a law enforcement tool. The new body cameras and license plate readers show much promise. Technology is expensive and the federal government is really into unfunded mandates. When the federal government says that they will contribute money towards buying an item, such as a body camera it does not cover the entire cost of providing a body camera to each and every deputy. There is a fixed amount of money and cash strapped law enforcement agencies are expected to pony up the rest. Then there is the issue of maintenance. Who pays when it breaks? The answer is the same cash strapped law enforcement agency that is now under a mandate to universally use that equipment because they accepted federal funds for it. Another issue becomes data storage. Data from these devices becomes evidence, not only of possible misconduct but in criminal cases as well. All of the rules of evidence and custody apply. Data storage is expensive. Having said that, training is expensive also. However, not having training is even more expensive because of vicarious liability (SEE City of Canton, Ohio v. Harris). In short, as a law enforcement administrator you will need to provide both functioning, state of the art equipment and training in order to succeed.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

The police need to make sure that they have good relations will the entire community not just specific parts of the community. Balkanizing the community into separate enclaves is part of what is dividing the nation. We cannot afford to think in terms of "us and them." Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. The most common complaint against the police is that they are rude. Training the police to be polite, sympathetic and emphatic with all of the citizens would go a long way in building support for the police and keeping the peace in our communities.

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

Having a police force with a diverse group of employees is essential to any police organization. A police force that is not diverse is often looked on as an occupying army by some minorities. This view is often encouraged by various political activists in order to score political points for their cause. It is sometimes hard to recruit qualified applicants from populations that might not like the police to begin with.

One of my assignments as a law enforcement officer was that I was in command of the law enforcement training academy for our agency for 2 and 1/2 years. Part of my duties were to recruit new applicants. Rather than lower your standards to achieve some mythical quota, widen your reach to areas that you do not normally recruit in. By increasing the area that you actively recruit in, you will broaden your pool of potential recruits to choose from. Quality recruits are out there in every group. But you are going to have to work very hard to get some of them as you are in competition with every other business and law enforcement agency out there. In addition, aim for language skills. In our nation of immigrants, the ability to speak the language of underserved communities is a very positive asset for law enforcement.

Jeff Rush Chair of the Criminal Justice Department at Troy University

What are the biggest issues facing police officers today?

Recruitment, Stress/PTSD, Use of Force.

What is the long term outlook for the law enforcement field?

Outstanding! This is the greatest profession in the world. So long as we remember why we do it, and forget what the media says, especially the media reports, we'll be fine. Regularly and consistently a majority of the public, regardless of demographics, report being satisfied with us.

Do you think police departments should invest more in technology and equipment or focus more on developing soft skills for use in community policing?

First, I would question whether community policing is the goal for policing. That said, I don't think it's either or, but as with most things, it's both/and. We need the technology and equipment but without the soft skills it doesn't do us any good. We are a profession that requires both, we must therefore emphasize both.

What measures should police undertake to improve relationships with the community, especially in minority communities?

Again, I think the underlying premise here is wrong. Throughout history, law enforcement has made great strides in improving relations with all sectors of the community. Two things must always be remembered here: first, cops put lawbreakers in the hoosegow. By definition that puts them at odds with certain members of the community, especially certain communities. There are ways to deal with that, and cops are learning better ways to manage that.

Second, is that idea that the community plays a role in all this. A role that's oftentimes ignored The cops can't do it all. The community must pull their weight. When they do, things work together. When they don't... well, we see the results of that, don't we?

What strategies have proven effective in diversifying the police force so that it is more representative of the community?

Here too, I would disagree with the premise of the question. Law enforcement must hire the best qualified regardless of demographics. There's no good research that suggests that a department that is representative of their community has better relations than agencies that aren't. And, what to do when that balance shifts, but the best qualified doesn't fit in that box. Do we not hire them, and look to the lesser qualified officer? There is some research that suggests that when we lower the standards, guess what? We get lesser qualified police officers and problems increase. Let's focus on getting the best qualified, recruiting the best qualified and the community problems will take care of themselves, so long as the community does their part.

Methodology

In order to determine the best and worst states for police officers, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: 1) Opportunity & Competition, 2) Job Hazards & Protections and 3) Quality of Life.

We evaluated those dimensions using 25 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for police officers.

We then determined each state and the District’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Opportunity & Competition – Total Points: 40

• Law-Enforcement Officers per Capita: Full Weight (~5.72 Points)Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators.
• Average Starting Salary of Police Officers: Double Weight (~11.43 Points)
• Median Income for Law-Enforcement Officers: Full Weight (~5.72 Points)Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators. This metric was adjusted for the cost of living.
• Median Income Growth for Law-Enforcement Officers (2017 vs. 2016): Full Weight (~5.72 Points)Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators. This metric refracts the evolution of income over time (period 2017 vs. 2016).
• Salary Growth Potential of Law-Enforcement Officers: Full Weight (~5.72 Points)Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators. This metric highlights the income growth (Percentile 90 / Percentile 10) that a police officer could obtain during his or her career.
• Projected Law-Enforcement Officers per Capita by 2024: Full Weight (~5.72 Points)Note: “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators.

Job Hazards & Protections – Total Points: 40

• Police-Misconduct Confidentiality Law: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Note: This metric measures whether police officers’ disciplinary records are confidential, have limited public availability or are completely public.
• Police Body-Worn Camera Legislation: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
• Degree of Lethal Force Allowed for Police Use: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
• Presence of “Red Flag” Laws: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Note: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of “Red flag laws” in a state. “Red flag laws” allow the seizure of guns before people can commit acts of violence.
• Requirement of De-escalation Training: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Notes: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of “De-escalation training” in a state. De-escalation training teaches officers to slow down, create space, and use communication techniques to defuse a potentially dangerous situation. De-escalation training provides officers with strategies to calmly deal with people who are experiencing mental and emotional crises.
• Presence of “Blue Alerts”: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Notes: This binary metric considers the presence or absence of “Blue Alerts” in a state. The Blue Alert provides the means to speed the apprehension of violent criminals who kill or seriously injure local, state, or federal law enforcement officers.
• Police Deaths per 1,000 Officers: Double Weight (~4.00 Points)
• Persons Killed by Police per Capita: Double Weight (~4.00 Points)
• Law Enforcement Officers Assaulted per 1,000 Officers: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
• Pursuit-Related Fatalities per 100,000 Residents: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Notes: This metric includes occupants of police vehicle, occupants of chased vehicle, occupants of other vehicle and nonoccupants.
• Violent-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
• Property-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
• Road Safety: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Note: This metric measures the number of fatal accidents per 100 million vehicle miles driven.
• Share of Homicide Cases Solved: Triple Weight (~6.00 Points)
• 9-1-1 Calls Delivered to Local & Regional Answering Points per Capita: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)Note: This metric is based on the 2016 National 911 Progress Report and measures the number of 9-1-1 calls delivered from the national 911 control office to primary PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points), whether answered or dispatch occurred, aggregated at the state level.

Quality of Life – Total Points: 20

• State & Local Police-Protection Expenses per Capita: Half Weight (~2.22 Points)
• Housing Affordability: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median House Price / Median Annual Income for Law-enforcement officers; Rental Price of Two-Bedroom Apartment / Median Annual Income for Law-enforcement officers. “Law-enforcement officers” includes police and sheriff’s patrol officers, detectives and criminal investigators.
• Family- & Singles-Friendliness: Full Weight (~4.44 Points)Note: This composite metric is based on WalletHub’s Best & Worst States to Raise a Family and Best & Worst States for Singles rankings.
• Public Image of Law Enforcement: Double Weight (~8.89 Points)Note: This metric is based on an analysis of Twitter users’ posts indicating public sentiment toward law-enforcement personnel.

 

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Projections Central State Occupational Projections, Council for Community and Economic Research, Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New York Public Radio, Urban Institute, Amnesty International USA, The Officer Down Memorial Page, Mapping Police Violence, Murder Accountability Project, The National 911 Program, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, DrugAbuse.com and WalletHub research.

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