Getting the right police officer with the right mindset is key to police reform.
The goal of these Qualifications, Recruitment and Retention recommendations is to promote a culture that recognizes the value in recruiting and promoting diversity within the department, as well as recruiting and retaining those who have the Guardian mindset.
Qualifications & Recruitment
The Committee recommends the following actions:
Increase awareness about upcoming police exams.
Implementation Status
The Department actively promotes upcoming police exam information. Working alongside the City of White Plains Personnel Department, we promote exams with
- Printed materials such as posters and brochures.
- Digital billboard advertising throughout our city.
- Video advertising through White Plains Cable Access.
- Social Media campaigns
- A dedicated “Police Careers” page on our Public Safety website.
- Face-to-Face interaction at our community engagement events.
We will continue to seek new approaches to increase awareness.
Provide exam prep in more accessible locations.
Implementation Status
The Department will support and is open to discussing more accessible exam preparation locations within the City with the City of White Plains Personnel Department.
Work with White Plains High School to offer a credited course on policing.
Implementation Status
The Department supports this recommendation and plans on discussing such a course with the school board.
Recruit officers with the guardian mindset.
Implementation Status
Implemented and ongoing.
Support legislation at the State level to change the age limit to take the police exam from 35 to 40 years.
Implementation Status
The Department will support legislation to change exam eligibility to 40 years.
Retention
The Committee recommends the following actions:
Recruit and hire more White Plains residents to become White Plains police officers.
Implementation Status
Implemented and Ongoing.
Make mental health evaluations for police officers mandatory, especially after a serious traumatic event or a series of lesser traumatic events.
Implementation Status
In progress. Psychological evaluations are mandatory for all police recruit candidates.