Law enforcement recruitment should be a top priority

Public safety agencies across America face the same problems as other employers — finding enough qualified workers. The difference is our safety is increasingly at risk. Law enforcement leaders are working harder at recruitment, yet they are drawing fewer applicants.

Big city departments are not alone. It is the same story in smaller communities such as Leesburg, Va., where the number of applicants dropped 90 percent over the past five years.

A decade ago, the Seattle Police Department had 3,000 applicants for 10 openings. Now, there are 1,000 applicants for 70 positions.

Being a cop is not fo...