Retention of police officers through non-salary based incentives

The world of law enforcement is changing, some say faster than police agencies can realize the change and the need for new ideologies and philosophical ideas.Police officers are constantly looking for agencies that provide more money and other incentives they are not receiving at their current agency. This paper examines whylaw enforcement agencies should offer incentives, other than monetary, in order to retain experienced law enforcement officers instead of losing them to the appeal of a larger salary. Some of these incentives are innovative in nature, while others are forgotten or neglected ideas that seem basic, but they could be paramount in retaining law enforcement officers. This paper also examines various ideas and philosophies from academic sources regarding managerial skills, leadership skills, and theories in hopes that an officer might remain at a police agency as a result of appreciation. By implementing various methods and placing theories into practice, law enforcement agencies can retain quality law enforcement officers and improve their overall well- being.