Does prior military and/or law enforcement experience influence officer retention? A case study of the Charleston Police Department

Abstract Police agencies across the country have relied on applicants with prior military and/or law enforcement experience to fill vacancies within their ranks for many years. Despite the strong push to recruit officers with these types of backgrounds, few scholars have tested whether prior military and/or law enforcement experience affects officer tenure within policing. In this study, we use hiring and employment data from the Charleston (SC) Police Department (CPD) to assess whether these highly sought after characteristics influence officer retention. Our analysis revealed that officers with prior military service were significantly more likely to leave the agency, and tended to do so about 20 months sooner, than officers who did not serve in the military. Prior law enforcement experience was unrelated to officer separation but had a significant impact on the length of time officers remained with the agency. These findings suggest that police agencies must reevaluate current approaches to recruitment and retention. However, more research is needed to determine why certain officers are more likely to resign and how agencies can better address the underlying needs of high-risk officers.