WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Wisconsin has long grappled with a significant shortage of law enforcement personnel. In 2022, the state witnessed the fewest law enforcement officers on record since the Wisconsin Department of Justice began tracking these numbers in 2008.
In response to this pressing issue, the Wausau Police Department began actively seeking innovative methods to engage potential recruits. Todd Baeten, a Patrol Captain with the Wausau Police Department, who has served for over two decades noticed a drastic transformation in officer applications.
“Overall numbers have been down over the last several years. When I applied, there were a few hundred people who were in the process with me. Now in 2023, 2022, our last hiring process, we had maybe a tenth of those numbers applying,” Baeten said.
As recruitment numbers dwindle, the Wausau Police Department made it clear candidates who do not possess a typical law enforcement background are welcome to apply. Baeten said this helps to keep up with the evolution of career paths.
“People nowadays are much more comfortable with working for an employer for a few years, and then maybe trying something else for a few years, and then maybe going to get a third different thing,” Baeten said.
The department also committed to getting applications through diversifying its workforce. It began actively recruiting individuals who may not have felt adequately represented in the force in the past, including minorities and women. By 2030, the...
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