Law Enforcement and the Changing Times: Has Service Taken a Backseat?

For decades, law enforcement was more than just a job - it was a calling. Ask any officer why they put on the badge and the answer was almost always the same:

- "I want to help people."

- "I want to give back to my community."

- "I want to make a difference."

This sense of duty - of service above self - was the foundation of policing. Officers sacrificed nights, weekends, and holidays. They risked their lives, not for a paycheck, but because they believed in something bigger than themselves.

But something has changed. That selfless drive, once the overwhelming motivation for entering law enforcement is fading. Today's recruits are different. They are less willing to sacrifice, less committed to the mission of service, and more focused on themselves.

This shift isn't just anecdotal - it's having real consequences. Recruitment and retention are in crisis, public trust is eroding, and proactive policing is disappearing. The very culture of law enforcement is at stake.

What Changed?

The transformation of law enforcement isn't the result of a single event. It's the product of cultural, societal, and generational changes, accelerated by two major moment in recent history:

The Psychological Toll of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic forced officers into isolation, distancing them from the communities they swore to protect. It altered not just how officers worked, but how they saw their roles in society. It also made them question their own mortality and was public engagement worth the risk.

- Masks created a barrier - limiting communication and making officers feel like strangers in their own communities.

- Proactive policing disappeared - officers were encouraged to minimize contact, leading to months of disengagement.

- Officers were told to stay stationary until called.

- Officers in a non-proactive mode began web-surfing and watching streaming services while on duty.

Studies show that prolonged changes in work behavior create lasting habits. Officers who spent months sitting in parking lots waiting for 911 calls rather than engaging with the public never fully returned to proactive policing.

The George Floyd Effect

In 2020, the death of George Floyd ignited protests, calls for police reform, and widespread scrutiny of law enforcement. Officers saw their profession vilified in ways they had never experienced before.

The result?

- A fear of being proactive. Many officers pulled back, hesitant to take decisive action for fear of career-ending repercussions.

- A breakdown in public trust. Many communities - especially those already skeptical of law enforcement - felt further alienated.

- A shift in priorities. Officers started viewing the job as a paycheck, not a passion. When the risks became too high, many simply walked away.

- Psychological safety was shattered - officers questioned whether their leaders and the public still supported them.

A 2021 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (LEMAS) study found that while use-of-force incidents declined, so did arrests, traffic stops, and community interactions - all essential components of crime prevention and public trust. To be frank, officers quietly quit during the COVID-19 and George Floyd events and law enforcement has not recovered from it.

The Generational Shift: A New Type of Officer

Beyond external pressures, law enforcement is also being reshaped from within. The officers joining the force today do not think the same way as those who came before them.

For decades, policing was dominated by Baby Boomers and Generation X - groups that valued loyalty, hard work, and sacrifice. They believed in the idea that the job was who you were, not just what you did.

Enter Millennials and Generation Z, who now make up a large portion of new hires. Their approach to work and life is fundamentally different:

- A 2021 Deloitte study reported that Millennials are more likely to leave jobs that negatively impact their mental health - regardless of pay.

- A 2022 Gallup survey found that younger workers prioritize work-life balance over career advancement.

- A 2023 Pew Research study showed that younger generations are less wiling to sacrifice personal time for their careers.

This mindset is in direct conflict with the traditional law enforcement culture, where the job often came before everything else.

Today's officers work to live, not live to work.

This isn't to say that young officers don't care, but they care more about themselves. They don't define themselves by the badge. They value their personal lives more than previous generations did and they are not willing to make the same sacrifices. Maybe they are on to something in a profession that is not willing to give back to the officers.

The Recruitment and Retention Crisis

This shift in priorities is fueling a recruitment and retention crisis like never before.

- Officers are leaving early. A 2021 survey by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) reported that over 60% of officers leaving the profession were doing so before reaching retirement eligibility.

- Applications for police jobs are down nationwide. A 2022 Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) study found that police departments experienced a 50% drop in applicants over the last decade.

- Retention is worse than ever before. The same study found that resignations increased by 47% from 2019 to 2022.

Why? Because fewer people want to be police officers and even fewer want to stay. The sense of duty that once drove people into law enforcement is fading.

It's not just about the pay or the benefits. The new generation of officer simply isn't as willing to sacrifice and without that willingness, law enforcement as we know it cannot survive.

The Public Trust Problem

This change isn't just affecting police departments - it's affecting the communities they serve.

For years, law enforcement leaders preached community policing - the idea that officers must engage with the public beyond just responding to 911 calls. But when officers hesitate to be proactive, avoid interactions, and see the job as just a paycheck, the gap between police and the public grows.

- A 2023 Gallup poll found that public trust in law enforcement is at its lowest point in 30 years.

- A Bureau of Justice Statistics study showed that communities with lower police engagement report higher levels of fear, frustration, and distrust.

- The "us vs. them" mentality - on both sides - worsens when officers don't actively build relationships.

Officers cannot expect the public to trust them if they don't make the effort to engage and they won't engage if they don't feel connected to the mission of service.

Rebuilding the Culture of Service

Law enforcement is at a crossroads. If we allow policing to become just another job, we risk losing everything that makes it unique: the idea that service comes before self.

So, how do we fix it?

1. Reinforce the "why". Departments must focus on hiring and retaining those who see policing as a calling, not just a career.

2. Redefine leadership. Officers need to feel valued, supported, and protected. Leaders must invest in mentorship, not just management.

3. Reignite community engagement. Officers must be expected to step out of their cars and into their communities.

4. Challenge the next generation. Young officers must understand that service requires sacrifice. Leadership must find ways to instill purpose and pride before the culture of service disappears entirely.

The Hard Truth: Policing Must Be More Than a Job

This is not an attack on younger officers and it is not a criticism of work-life balance. It is a wake-up call.

Law enforcement cannot survive if officers are unwilling to serve. Society depends on police officers being more than employees - they must be guardians, protectors, and public servants.

If service becomes secondary, if officers are no longer willing to put others first, then what happens to the very foundation of policing?

The answer is clear: Policing as we know it will fade into irrelevance.

The time to change course is NOW. Service must once again be the heart of law enforcement. Not because it is easy. Not because it is popular.

But because it is what the job demands.

- Dean Crisp