The Austin Audit and Finance Committee meeting on April 16, 2025, focused on enhancing the recruitment strategies of the Austin Police Department (APD) following insights from an auditor's report. The report highlighted a lack of effective social media engagement, particularly in sharing recruitment information across various platforms.

APD officials acknowledged that their primary social media channels were underutilized for promoting recruitment efforts. To address this, they have initiated cross-collaboration among different units within the department to ensure that all recruiting content is shared widely. This includes a new program aimed at high school students, designed to create a pipeline for future candidates interested in joining the police force once they reach eligibility age. The program will engage 60 students to help develop a recruiting strategy that resonates with younger audiences.

Additionally, the department plans to hire a marketing professional to assist in creating and distributing content that aligns with current social media trends. This move aims to maintain a consistent focus on recruitment, especially during application processing periods when staff resources are limited.

The APD is also committed to following best practices in recruitment, collaborating with organizations such as the Police Executive Research Forum and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. These partnerships have led to recognition of APD's recruitment efforts as modern and innovative, reflecting the community's expectations for policing services.

The committee discussed the importance of updating hiring standards to better represent the diverse Austin community and emphasized the need for a faster recruitment timeline. Current averages show a four-month process from application submission to hiring completion. The APD is actively working to adopt innovative strategies that humanize the cadet experience and target individuals from customer service backgrounds.

Overall, the meeting underscored the APD's commitment to improving its recruitment practices and ensuring that its workforce reflects the community it serves.