Meeting Their Needs: Evaluating Agency-Specific Workplace Factors to Enhance Officer Retention Strategies
Article Information
Citation
Wojslawowicz, A. N. (2026). Meeting their needs: Evaluating agency-specific workplace factors to enhance officer retention strategies. NIJ LEADS Special Issue, 82-101.
Keywords
Officer retention, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover, workforce planning, police culture
Research Summary
Sworn officers are the most critical and costly asset of any police agency, yet understanding what drives retention requires strategies tailored to specific agencies. This study develops a comprehensive evaluation of retention factors through a case study of a mid-size municipal police department, with 367 sworn officers up to the rank of sergeant participating.
Using Likert scale and open-ended survey responses, the study evaluated officer perceptions of five workplace factor categories (External Job Opportunities, Compensation, Personal Characteristics, Organizational Issues, and Employee Needs) against retention intentions. Ordinary least squares regression found that officers who reported higher agreement with Employee Needs were significantly more likely to intend to remain with the agency (β = 0.262, p < 0.001). Open-ended responses provided additional practical direction for implementing findings into agency practices.
The article demonstrates the value of agency-specific, action-research approaches to retention. Rather than relying on generalized best practices, the framework reinforces the importance of officers’ voices in staffing evaluations, ensuring lived experiences align with agency objectives.
Companion Video
Understanding and Improving Officer Retention
Dr. Wojslawowicz presents findings on the organizational factors that influence officer retention decisions and offers evidence-based strategies for reducing voluntary turnover.