By Chief Jason Cassalia
The Town of Manlius Police Department — located in Onondaga County, Central New York — is one of 15 police agencies within the county, which includes the NY State Police and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. We are a full-service law enforcement agency committed to providing community-oriented policing services to the residents and businesses within our community.
Our service delivery is based on our vision that we “provide service with integrity that exceeds the expectations of our community.” Effective recruitment, officer selection and retention form a core component of our service delivery.
The challenge for many police departments is how to recruit, select and retain the right law enforcement professional. Our approach is that officer retention commences with recruitment!
Overcoming recruitment issues
Effective recruitment, from an employer’s perspective, comes down to two things: having access to a pool of individuals who want a career in law enforcement and having the necessary resources to manage the entire recruitment process. This is where larger agencies have the edge over us — they traditionally attract more recruits because of the career opportunities available and have dedicated human resources departments that manage the entire “lifecycle” of an officer.
We don’t have this luxury. The management of our officers throughout their professional careers is a responsibility shared by several senior members of our command staff.
While this might be seen as a disadvantage, we recognize it as an advantage due to our focus on the personal touch. As the chief of police, I want to ensure we find and select the best candidates who will adopt our organizational values as their own.
When we speak to candidates during recruitment, we evaluate their skills, aptitude and expectations for their job, career and community. When I became a police officer 33 years ago, I was never asked by any supervisor or command staff member about my workplace expectations. Our experience has shown that building a mentoring relationship early in the process is critical for retaining talent.
More than selection
Once we have identified potential recruits through the state civil service system, we move to the selection phase. This includes a comprehensive, multi-dimensional interview process. It comprises a series of detailed and immersive discussions with a panel of command members, supervisors, officers, civilian staff and community volunteers.
Our volunteers, who are residents of our community, provide their opinions about being served by the candidates. During this process, two separate panel questionnaires are utilized: one for recruits and another for certified police officers applying to transfer. These instruments include specific questions focused on desired outcomes, as well as subjective questions for panelists to assess areas such as confidence projection, communication and suitability for police work.
After the panel, the subject is excused, and the members discuss their observations. All members focus on whether the candidate’s responses align with the agency’s core values and commitment to high levels of service. This integrated selection approach also acts as a safeguard against biases or political opinions influencing the process.
By the time we reach the final stages, the candidate has undergone a thorough background investigation, polygraph, psychological evaluation, medical review, basic entrance testing, physical fitness testing through state civil service, panel interviews and a one-on-one with the chief of police.
WATCH: Why wait to hear from your officers only when they’re exiting? Discover how retention interviews can foster a proactive culture, enhance job satisfaction and retain your top talent. Gordon Graham dives into strategies that make a difference today.
Retention focus
Once we select our candidates, the retention phase begins as soon as they enter service. This is vital because we know there is competition for officers — they sometimes look for better opportunities and may be poached by other departments.
Retention involves multiple aspects. We do not believe in a siloed approach where one officer performs only one function. Our officers are trained in various areas, including investigations, patrol and school resource roles, among others. This reduces job boredom, builds skills and creates well-rounded professionals.
Additionally, understanding each member’s career aspirations and building pathways for them to achieve their goals is essential. The old approach of “this is what the agency wants; do it or leave” is archaic and drives great talent away.
I believe that a “leading from the front” approach contributes to retention. My senior command staff and I do not spend our days sitting behind desks giving orders. We are active officers — we respond to calls for service, make arrests, provide backup and engage with the community alongside our members. This teamwork eliminates the “us versus them” mindset and fosters career growth and retention.
We have also implemented early warning indicators to monitor and support our officers. Supervisors engage with their teams in a cooperative manner, addressing performance issues promptly. With a manageable span of control, supervisors are expected to build professional relationships with their officers, allowing them to recognize when someone is having a good or bad day and take appropriate action.
Our open-door policy ensures personal and professional issues can be discussed freely. When issues are identified, we provide resources and guidance to help officers resolve them.
These retention-focused strategies have significantly improved officer retention. We closed 2024 with full staffing for the first time in many years, including two additional sworn officers approved in the 2024 budget. With our team-based retention approach, culture and support from our municipality and elected officials, we are confident in retaining skilled officers to serve our community.
About the author
Jason M. Cassalia began his career as a police explorer for the Town of Manlius Police Department in 1986 and was subsequently hired as a police officer in 1991. He served in many roles within the agency to include uniformed patrol, investigations, Emergency Services Team (EST) commander, front line supervisor and ultimately commanding both the Operations and Administrative Divisions at the ranks of lieutenant and captain. From 2015 to 2022, Chief Cassalia served as the Undersheriff of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. He returned to the Manlius Police Department in 2023 and was appointed Chief of Police in 2024. Chief Cassalia is a graduate of the 213th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Cazenovia College. Contact him at jcassalia@manliuspolice.org.
