By David Baker for Lexipol.com
Recruiting and retaining qualified employees continues to be a challenge for law enforcement agencies nationwide. We all know the reasons: The relentless public scrutiny, paychecks that lag behind inflation and shift schedules that wreak havoc on personal lives. Combine those factors with work-related stress and challenges for work-life balance and public safety isn’t exactly a soft sell for young people just entering the workforce.
As agencies grapple with these issues, many are trying innovative strategies to attract and keep good workers. One initiative — providing employee child care — is beginning to gain traction for families in public safety professions.
The Recruitment and Retention Crisis
Police and sheriff departments are under immense pressure to come up with new ways to improve staffing levels and maintain their service mandates. Agencies around the country are losing experienced officers to retirement, burnout and other career fields, increasing the workload on their remaining employees and leaving departments understaffed and overburdened. Attracting new recruits is equally difficult, as prospective candidates weigh the risks and sacrifices of the profession against other options in the job market.
To address these issues, the U.S. Department of Justice has recommended modernizing hiring processes, investing in officer wellness programs and collaborating with community leaders to broaden the field of potential candidates. Some departments are also finding ways to increase salaries and other incentives, such as take-home vehicles and relocation assistance, to attract and retain officers.
One easily overlooked factor in recruitment and retention is the need for family support, especially in an occupation with high demands and irregular hours. Law enforcement professionals — particularly those working long, staggered shifts — face unique challenges in balancing their duties with personal responsibilities. This is particularly true for families with young children, where access to reliable, affordable child care is critical.
The challenge of child care is even greater for “public safety couples” with both partners working in a public safety profession. These couples face even more challenging demands, and traditional child-care options often fail to meet their needs, compounding the stress and logistical challenges. Recognizing this gap, some law enforcement agencies are stepping up to provide flexible child care support tailored to the needs of first responders.
“For parents in law enforcement, child care can cost as much or more than your mortgage payment.”
Innovative Solutions for Law Enforcement Families
One pioneering effort in addressing the child-care needs of law enforcement families began with the Erik Hite Foundation in Tucson, Arizona. Since 2011, the foundation has operated a child-care center with steeply discounted rates for the families of first responders — including law enforcement, the fire service, border patrol and military personnel. The facility provides extended hours to help accommodate the schedules of the families it serves. “At other places,” says Nohemy Hite, the foundation’s founder and CEO, “extended hours are much higher, up to $1 per minute if you’re late picking up your children. How can you do that to a police officer who gets stuck on a call?”
While the facility is run by a 501(c)(3) organization and not directly by any department or agency, it helps shine a spotlight on the importance of community-based solutions to address the unique needs of first responders.
“For parents in law enforcement, child care can cost as much or more than your mortgage payment,” Hite says. “Our foundation provides a 38-40% savings on a monthly basis, depending on the age of the child, saving families thousands of dollars a year on the tuition they pay. That helps all of our first responders, who are already having trouble making ends meet.”
In September 2024, the City of Tucson broke ground on its Southside Public Safety Complex, a facility that will house both the Tucson Police Department and the Tucson Fire Department. While the Erik Hite Foundation was hoping to obtain space for a dedicated child-care center, in the new facility, that wasn’t feasible. Instead, the organization is working with city leaders to secure another location near the new complex so parents won’t have to drive far to drop off and pick up their children.
Federal Action, Inaction
At the federal level, lawmakers are also exploring solutions to the child-care challenges faced by law enforcement professionals. In 2023, Representative Scott Peters of California introduced the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act. This bipartisan bill is intended to establish a grant program under the Department of Health and Human Services to help states provide child care services tailored to law enforcement officers’ irregular work hours.
While the bill has not yet been voted on in the House of Representatives, it represents a significant step toward recognizing child care as a critical support service for law enforcement families.
Innovative Solutions for Law Enforcement Families
In January 2024, the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) made headlines by creating the nation’s first agency-run child-care center. This facility offers flexible hours, affordable rates and competitive pay for child-care workers. Parents pay up to 50% less than the market rate for child care, and staff earn 15% more than the local average for child-care workers. SDPD’s initiative has been praised as a groundbreaking effort to address the practical needs of its officers while enhancing recruitment and retention.
Similarly, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office in Northern California announced plans in September 2024 to establish its own child-care center. The facility aims to support employees’ families while improving staff recruitment and retention. This initiative reflects a growing recognition among agencies that child care is a vital component of workforce stability and employee well-being.
In January 2025, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) will launch a pilot program that provides 100 employees (including sworn officers and civilian staff) a stipend of up to $250 per month to help cover child-care expenses for children up to 12 years old, including those with special needs. This program represents yet another model for helping law enforcement families manage the temporal and financial strains of working in public safety.
The Broader Impact of Child-Care Initiatives
Child-care services for law enforcement families do more than just address logistical challenges — they also send a powerful message about the value agencies place on their employees. These initiatives have several key benefits:
- Improved recruitment: Offering child care as part of an employment package makes law enforcement careers more attractive to prospective employees, particularly women and younger candidates who may be just starting their families.
- Enhanced retention: By easing the burden of child care, agencies can reduce stress and improve job satisfaction among current employees, making them less likely to jump ship — whether it’s to go to another agency or change careers altogether.
- Support for diversity: Accessible child care helps create a more inclusive workplace, enabling individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in law enforcement without sacrificing family responsibilities.
- Community engagement: Agency child-care programs help build stronger relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve by demonstrating a commitment to family and community values.
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A Vision for the Future
As law enforcement continues to evolve, agencies must continue to adapt to the needs of their workforce. Child-care initiatives like those in Tucson, San Diego and San Mateo County offer a helpful paradigm for how agencies can better support their employees. Additionally, legislative efforts like the Providing Child Care for Police Officers Act signal a growing recognition of the importance of family-friendly policies at all levels of public service.
For agencies struggling to attract and retain high-quality employees, investing in child care could be worth considering. Not only does it address a pressing need for law enforcement families, it also positions agencies as forward-thinking employers committed to the well-being of current and future workers.
Recruiting and retaining talented law enforcement professionals requires more than just competitive salaries — it requires innovative thinking to address the real-life challenges officers face. By providing accessible, affordable and flexible child care, agencies can support their employees while building a stronger, more resilient workforce. As these initiatives continue to gain momentum, they offer a promising path forward for law enforcement agencies nationwide.
