Cities like Chicago and Memphis are facing severe police shortages, creating a reliance on National Guard troops as a temporary fix. Tennessee’s investment of $175 million in modernizing recruitment highlights a move towards sustainable solutions rather than temporary federal aid. The underlying issue is outdated hiring practices that deter applicants and create vacancies, compounded by political cuts and bureaucratic inefficiencies.
Chicago is learning the consequences when outdated police hiring practices meet political cuts. Since 2019, more than 2,100 police positions have been eliminated, with the city adding layers of bureaucracy. The Chicago Police Department (CPD) has 795 unfilled vacancies, with 833 position cuts under Mayor Brandon Johnson and 614 under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This has led to President Donald Trump sending in the National Guard to cover gaps created by years of slow hiring pipelines, endless vacancies, and deliberate downsizing.
Memphis faces a similar situation, with its police force at its lowest level in two decades, leaving patrols thinner, response times slower, and detectives overwhelmed with unsustainable caseloads. Temporary federal surges offer immediate help but fail to rebuild the police force or restore long-term safety. National Guard troops are not trained to investigate murders, de-escalate volatile domestic calls, or build trust with residents, serving as a testament to the system’s failure.
The deeper issue lies not only in the number of officers but in the recruitment process itself. A national survey found that the primary reason applicants abandon the field isn’t pay but bureaucracy. Paper applications, lengthy background checks, and silence from recruiters leave motivated candidates in limbo. By the time departments respond, recruits have often taken jobs elsewhere. A broken process is causing a loss of qualified officers.
Many agencies are responding by lowering standards, with Illinois, Kentucky, New York, and Texas experimenting with relaxing requirements to fill positions. However, this is a risky move as it erodes professionalism and public trust. The badge represents more than a job; it signifies a profession demanding skill, discipline, and community confidence. Americans desire qualified, trained, and committed officers rather than a lower bar.
A better solution is evident in the private sector, which addressed this issue years ago. Applicant tracking systems streamline hiring pipelines in every industry, reducing paperwork, keeping candidates informed, and accelerating the onboarding of qualified applicants. If retailers can process thousands of job applications in weeks, there is no reason for police departments to take months to onboard recruits. Agencies that adopt these tools can expand their applicant pool, resulting in fewer dropouts, better communication, and more academy seats filled. Those that don’t will remain stuck in a cycle of attrition.
Tennessee exemplifies what happens when leaders prioritize recruitment seriously. Republican Rep. John Gillespie’s H.B. 1445 invests directly in recruitment, while Governor Bill Lee has committed $175 million to strengthen public safety across the state. This money isn’t just for temporary troop surges but is aimed at modernizing how police departments hire and retain people. Tennessee’s approach shows that the future of public safety depends on creating stronger pipelines, not relying on soldiers to fill in the gaps.
Meanwhile, communities are paying the price when cities fail to adapt. Extended 911 wait times mean crimes in progress are left unchecked, overloaded detectives miss leads, delaying justice for victims, and stretched patrol shifts leave neighborhoods vulnerable. This isn’t an abstract issue; it’s the daily reality in cities like Chicago and Memphis, where under-staffed, burned-out officers can’t keep pace. Residents feel the impact every time they dial 911 and wait.
In conclusion, the deployment of troops in the streets is a last resort for a reason. Chicago illustrates the consequences when hiring lags and politics cut deeper into the ranks. Eventually, soldiers replace cops. The fix isn’t more deployments; it’s smarter, faster hiring pipelines that rebuild departments with the officers communities deserve. Until cities modernize recruitment, they’ll keep repeating Chicago’s mistake: losing cops to red tape and replacing them with troops.