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Police Turnover Problem: Fact or Fiction?

NCJ Number
222247
Journal
Policing Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: 2008 Pages: 6-18
Author(s)
Jessica E. Lynch; Michelle Tuckey
Date Published
2008
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined the prevalence and features of police turnover in all jurisdictions of Australia and New Zealand.
Abstract
Despite widespread concerns about the high level of turnover rates in police agencies, benchmarking data from this study show that total police turnover was lower than for other Australian public-sector organizations and comparable with personnel turnover in international public-sector organizations. Voluntary resignations among policing agencies were lower than in other Australian public-sector organizations, but higher than in the international public sector. Resignations constituted the major form of turnover in police agencies, and female officers resigned at a higher rate than male officers. Resignations were highest among officers in the 25- to 39-year-old age group. The authors recommend that each police jurisdiction conduct research that will determine the causes of voluntary resignations among their police officers, in order to design strategies that will reduce avoidable turnover. The study developed data spreadsheets for the 4 fiscal years from 1999-2000 to 2002-2003 in order to obtain consistent turnover statistics from each jurisdiction. Jurisdictions provided a statistical breakdown of the number of sworn and unsworn employees who left the agency within each of the 4 fiscal years. For each employee who resigned, information was obtained on gender, sworn or unsworn status, rank for sworn officers, age, health status, years of service, and reason for resignation. Data were obtained on turnover rates for other public-sector organizations in Australia and international public-sector organizations. 1 table, 2 figures, 3 notes, and 34 references

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