At the opening ceremony of the International Association of Chiefs of Police 2024 conference in Boston, Ron Serpas a past Honorary President of IACP, set the stage by recounting Boston’s early contributions to policing, dating back to the Boston Watch in 1631, where watchmen patrolled the streets at night to protect the public. In 1854, Boston created its police department, which consisted of 250 officers,” Serpas said. “Each officer received payment of $2 per shift, walked his own beat, and was forbidden to hold outside employment.” Now, Serpas said, "Police officers are humble, graceful servants, the bedrock of society and the line between good and evil. Policing is more than just protecting public safety — it is helping people when they need us, no matter how they need us,” reports Police1.
The recruitment and retention of officers is one of the most pressing issues facing law enforcement today. Serpas noted an IACP survey showing that “seventy percent of agencies report that recruitment is harder now than it was five years ago.” He acknowledged the difficulties departments face in finding qualified recruits and said that resignation rates are high within the first three years of service. “This speaks to the importance of portraying an honest picture of policing,” Serpas said. “We need to recruit the right people from the very beginning. Smart recruiting leads to better retention, but the same societal changes that affect recruitment also affect retention.” Serpas expressed optimism about younger generations’ potential to shape the future of policing. “Generation Z calls for safe communities, fairness, justice, inclusion, and freedom from fear — these are the very things we strive for as a profession." Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said mistakes in policing are inevitable, but leadership must be grounded in accountability:. “Mistakes happen, but we must own them, learn from them, and prevent negative outcomes through proper training.” Cox added, "We strive for perfection, but we must incorporate our humanity into our training."
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