Law Enforcement Recruitment Cost Calculator
Estimate recruitment costs and potential savings from improved conversion rates
Hiring law enforcement officers involves significant costs beyond just salary—from recruitment and testing to academy training and field probation. This calculator helps you understand the true cost of filling vacancies and upcoming retirements, and shows how improving your applicant-to-hire conversion rate can generate substantial savings for your agency.
Agency Parameters
(editable fields)Your Agency Summary
Applications Needed Comparison
| Metric | At 4% Conversion | At 7% Conversion | Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps for Vacancies | 192 | 110 | 82 |
| Apps for Retirements | 432 | 247 | 185 |
| Total Applications | 624 | 357 | 267 |
Cost Per Hired LEO
(editable)| Cost Component | Typical Range | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recruitment & Testing | $5,000 - $15,000 | |||
| Academy Training | $6,500+ | |||
| Field Training/Probation | $50,000 - $100,000+ | |||
| Uniforms/Equipment | $5,000 - $10,000+ | |||
| Salary & Benefits (Year 1) | $50,000 - $90,000+ | |||
| Total | $100,000 - $240,000 | $116,500 | $177,500 | $240,000 |
Cost to Fill Current Vacancies
7.7 new LEOs needed
Cost Including Retirements
25.0 new LEOs needed
Recruitment & Testing Cost Savings
By improving conversion rate from 4% to 7%
| Metric | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Vacancies | 7.7 | ||
| Apps needed at 4% | 192 | ||
| Cost at 4% conversion | $960,000 | $1,920,000 | $2,880,000 |
| Cost at 7% conversion | $548,571 | $1,097,143 | $1,645,714 |
| Vacancy Savings | $411,429 | $822,857 | $1,234,286 |
| 3-Year Retirements | 17.3 | ||
| Apps needed at 4% | 432 | ||
| Cost at 4% conversion | $2,160,000 | $4,320,000 | $6,480,000 |
| Cost at 7% conversion | $1,234,286 | $2,468,571 | $3,702,857 |
| Retirement Savings | $925,714 | $1,851,429 | $2,777,143 |
| COMBINED SAVINGS | $1,337,143 | $2,674,286 | $4,011,429 |
References
- - COPS Office - Cost Analysis for Law Enforcement Recruitment
- - IACP - Analysis of Police Staffing and Retention
- - Police1 - Recruitment Cost Analysis
This calculator provides estimates based on industry averages and regional data. Actual costs may vary based on specific agency circumstances.
Ready to Reduce Your Recruitment Costs?
Let RespondCapture help you improve conversion rates and save on recruitment expenses.
Let's Talk