Public safety departments show progress in recruitment efforts

White males continue to make up the majority of Austin sworn public safety personnel, but police, fire and emergency medical services appear to be making strides in recruitment and diversification efforts.

That was the assessment of some Public Safety Commission members after hearing brief updates from the three departments on Monday. It was the first such update provided in about two years. Commission Chair Nelly Paulina Ramirez suggested having more regular briefings on the departments’ diversity initiatives and retention strategies.

Austin Police Department reported concentrated recruiting at college campuses, especially historically Black colleges and universities such as Texas Southern University in Houston and Huston-Tillotson University in Austin.

APD recruiters are expanding their reach with trips planned to New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico, where they are now able to perform testing.

APD’s Youth Program is also working with the African American Youth Harvest Foundation to target students enrolled in early college programs at Travis, LBJ, Akins, Northeast and Eastside high schools, as well as Garza Independence High and the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders.

Along with other police departments across the country, APD has signed a “30×30” pledge to increase the representation of female officers to 30 percent by 2030. According to APD documents, 20 percent of the current cadet class is female compared to 11 percent female within the department. Police Chief Lisa Davis has stated her commitment to increasing the number of female officers in the department.

While the Austin Fire Department has seen an overall decline in applicants, recruiters have stepped up outreach efforts through targeted social media and ad placements as well as through youth programs such as Fire Explorers Post 370 and the Pass the Torch program, which provides participants with an up-close view of firefighting activities.

For Austin-Travis County EMS, recruiting efforts differ somewhat as prospective recruits must have a minimum of an EMT certification to be considered. Like the other departments, EMS also works with youth programs like ACTEMS Explorer Post 247 and has increased its presences at career fairs, particularly at HBCUs. EMS employees also assist in teaching students enrolled in Austin Community College’s EMS program, aiming to recruit graduates directly into the workforce.

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