A recent article from Lexipol addressed the need to conduct adequate background investigations for potential law enforcement officers.
Recruiting and retaining quality personnel has always been a challenge in law enforcement. In today’s climate, making sound hiring decisions is more important than ever. Poor hiring choices can result in severe consequences—ranging from performance issues and low morale to legal liability and loss of public trust.
In the Lexipol webinar, “Why Law Enforcement Hires Go Bad—And What We Can Do About It,” panelists Gordon Graham, Lexipol Co-Founder, and Bruce “Coach Sok” Sokolove, Principal at Field Training Associates, shared insights drawn from a combined 107 years of experience in law enforcement. This was the first session in a two-part series addressing critical hiring failures and actionable solutions.
The True Cost of a Bad Hire
Both Graham and Sok emphasized that a single poor hiring decision can damage not just an agency, but the entire profession. Hiring someone with the wrong temperament or inadequate skillset can lead to morale problems, increased liability exposure, and reduced public confidence.
Graham stated, “Every time we see a tragedy in law enforcement—an excessive use of force, an officer-involved shooting gone wrong, a scandal—it almost always traces back to hiring. If we don’t fix recruitment, we’ll never fix the profession.”
Sok noted that many agencies fail to treat recruitment as a strategic function. Instead, they simply post vacancies and wait—what he calls the “post and pray” approach—resulting in candidates who may not possess the work ethic, judgment, or resilience necessary for police work.
Improving the Background Investigation Process
A major takeaway from the webinar was the importance of conducting thorough background investigations. Both panelists stressed that skipping or rushing this step can have devastating consequences.
Graham cautioned, “A dollar properly spent on a background check can save you a million dollars in lawsuits.” In several high-profile cases, officers with known red flags—DUIs, past terminations, or misconduct—were hired and later involved in major incidents.
Common mistakes in background checks include:
Failing to contact previous employers: Verifying only dates of employment misses important context. Agencies must actively investigate performance and reason for departure.
Overlooking past misconduct: Officers who leave under questionable circumstances should not be allowed to re-enter the profession unchecked.
Neglecting to verify credentials: Candidates sometimes exaggerate or fabricate training and education. “Trust, but verify,” as President Reagan said.
Best Practices for Safer Hiring
To strengthen your agency’s hiring practices:
Use a “Waiver for Lateral Hires” to access full personnel files. Graham notes that half of lateral applicants will withdraw when asked to sign it.
Require mandatory ride-alongs to evaluate candidate fit early in the process.
Vet all prior military and employment history, including reviewing DD214 forms for service members.
While uncovering disqualifying information may seem like a setback, it ultimately protects your agency from long-term risk and wasted resources.
OMAG Is Here to Help
OMAG offers tools and support to assist your agency with comprehensive background investigations. For assistance or more information, contact OMAG’s Law Enforcement Specialist, Kevin J. Katz, or visit our background resources page: https://www.omag.org/law-enforcement#background
