Research
SPRING | 2026
Understanding Police Employment: How On-line Company Reviews Affect Recruitment and Explain Lack of Retention in Australian Police Organizations
Spring | 2026
Like law enforcement organizations around the world, Australia continues to experience decreased applications being submitted, greater turnover, and lower public respect. While the complex issue of recruitment and retention can be oversimplified, it is important to consider the variety of issues that determine the number of officers needed to serve their community. At the time of this study, there were more than 7,000 police vacancies in the country. On-line reviews oftentimes include information about a department that may not be captured in exit interviews and employee surveys. Yet there has been little research into the impact of on-line reviews of employment with agencies and their ability to recruit and retain officers. This study sought to identify the impact of on-line reviews of police agencies on recruitment.
Previous research has shown candidates’ interest in seeking employment has been influenced by economic opportunities, stability, and work environment associated with policing. Other factors impacting choices to apply for a position included engaging opportunities to address issues, interact with citizens, and the socio-political environment. Negative factors impacting applicants’ perception to join a department included shift schedules, dangerous working conditions, poor public perception, and lack of staff diversity.
Officer attrition has been related to a myriad of factors including work-life balance, stress, and a lack of support from the department. Retention efforts have tended to focus on isolated factors and initiatives to address turnover such as increased salaries, and shift schedules as opposed to more comprehensive approaches to improve the culture.
It is common for individuals applying for a job to view on-line reviews of a prospective employer. Negative reviews of departments are likely to impact candidates’ decisions to apply for a position. This study sought to determine how on-line reviews of law enforcement agencies in Australia affect officer recruitment and retention.
To accomplish this, researchers collected 78 reviews on eight law enforcement organizations submitted between 2022 and 2024 (post-COVID lockdown). Individuals submitting a review were able to submit up to a 500-word narrative regarding their current or former employer, as well as position held, location, and date of submission. Reviewers were encouraged to provide a rating ranging from 1 to 10 stars.
Initial review of the narratives identified five themes:
- Pay and Employee Benefits
- Job Security and Promotion
- Organizational Management
- Workplace Culture
- Work-Life Balance
While 52% of reviews provided a star-rating of three or more, 59% of the narratives provide a negative evaluation of their agency.
Payment/Employee Benefits
While no details were provided in the reviews regarding this factor, a few suggested they were happy. At the same time, many negative reviews suggested current and former officers were frustrated with their salary and benefits.
Job Security and Promotion
There were few details offered regarding job security and promotion opportunities. Most narratives provided little information on how and why specific factors adversely affected their employment. Most of the negative comments focused on poor support from organizational leaders and operational procedures. The researchers noted this was an underlying factor impacting the submission of a positive or negative review.
Organizational Management
Only three people submitted a review regarding this category. Each reported senior officers’ support was the greatest factor in creating a positive work environment. Conversely, negative reviews focused more on individual managers, and operational policies/practices. Several reviews provided explicit guidance to individual considering employ with the department (i.e. “Thinking about joining? Please don’t”, “Look around, everyone’s leaving. Don’t waste your time applying”. . .)
Workplace Culture
The staffing shortage was contextualized with the organizations’ culture. Negative reviews included lack of support and integrity as well as working conditions of bullying, harassment, and manipulation as well as descriptions of staffing shortages and poor retention.
Worklife Balance
There was a strong link between the organization’s culture and the work-life balance provided. Most of the posts were negative and included detailed description of the factors impacting the work-life balance that contributed to retention and staffing levels.
While there is likely to be a negative bias of the reviewers, it was evident to researchers the reviews could impact a potential candidates’ decision to apply with a department. Because of this, it is important for agencies to focus on issues and practices impacting the work environment and organizational culture. Otherwise, they will continue to grow.
In closing, while the research did not provide potential solutions, a review of the study’s findings can help to identify why a department is experiencing fewer applicants and increased turnover.
Toby Miles-Johnson, “Understanding Police Employment: How On-Line Company Reviews Affect Recruitment and Explain Lack of Retention in Australian Police Organizations”, Police Practice and Research, https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2025.2570271, (2025)
