Comments on: $1.5 million in police recruitment ad money denied http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27 The Continuing Story of a City Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:06:35 +0000 hourly 1 By: Patrick McCullough http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-528 Patrick McCullough Sun, 02 Mar 2008 06:45:21 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-528 The reason the office holders want to pump more of our money into advertising is they know it's hard to entice people who are familiar with Oakland's recent history. Potential candidates don't stay away because they're afraid of the high level of crime; they aren't unaware that large cities offer the chance to make $100K a year. What keeps many of the best away is knowing that the same politicians who first beckon them, will at the drop of a hat -- or a complaint -- turn their back on them and throw them to the wolves (cop-haters, muck-racking mews media, and lawyers). Word gets around that they'll seldom if ever receive sincere expressions of gratitude, but will be scapegoated for eveything from budget deficits to why Johnny can't read. Hiding the truth takes big bucks. The reason the office holders want to pump more of our money into advertising is they know it’s hard to entice people who are familiar with Oakland’s recent history. Potential candidates don’t stay away because they’re afraid of the high level of crime; they aren’t unaware that large cities offer the chance to make $100K a year. What keeps many of the best away is knowing that the same politicians who first beckon them, will at the drop of a hat — or a complaint — turn their back on them and throw them to the wolves (cop-haters, muck-racking mews media, and lawyers). Word gets around that they’ll seldom if ever receive sincere expressions of gratitude, but will be scapegoated for eveything from budget deficits to why Johnny can’t read. Hiding the truth takes big bucks.

]]> By: Mike Hardy http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-506 Mike Hardy Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:19:25 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-506 along the lines of Dogtown Commoner, I also wouldn't put too much stock in the numbers, but I wouldn't because they lack important context. Unless we also get to see how much was spent on what (hiring bonuses, advertising buys in various places, referal bonuses) we just can't see what the most efficient $$-per-applicant ratio is With that in mind, it is possible to then speculate and say "we haven't gotten many applicants from Radio ads because we've only run one, but we did get 7 applicants from that one ad, so it's very efficient and we want to do more". I'm not saying that represents reality at all, I'm just saying that without knowing how much money was pumped into a category, making (for instance) a "more radio" or "less radio" decision isn't possible. Ditto for any of the other efforts I love the digging you've done so far though, and I wonder why the folks who are supposed to be doing this as their JOB (the OPD, that is) can't easily and quickly cite these sorts of things. along the lines of Dogtown Commoner, I also wouldn’t put too much stock in the numbers, but I wouldn’t because they lack important context. Unless we also get to see how much was spent on what (hiring bonuses, advertising buys in various places, referal bonuses) we just can’t see what the most efficient $$-per-applicant ratio is

With that in mind, it is possible to then speculate and say “we haven’t gotten many applicants from Radio ads because we’ve only run one, but we did get 7 applicants from that one ad, so it’s very efficient and we want to do more”. I’m not saying that represents reality at all, I’m just saying that without knowing how much money was pumped into a category, making (for instance) a “more radio” or “less radio” decision isn’t possible. Ditto for any of the other efforts

I love the digging you’ve done so far though, and I wonder why the folks who are supposed to be doing this as their JOB (the OPD, that is) can’t easily and quickly cite these sorts of things.

]]> By: CaliforniaCCW http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-496 CaliforniaCCW Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:07:59 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-496 Why aren't the residents of Oakland demanding CCW (concealed handgun permit) reform? CCW reform has been a success in 40 other states in the US. Every state within 1,000 miles of California is shall-issue. CCW issuance costs the city nothing (it's paid for by fees). It makes business owners safer and will help keep much-needed jobs in the city. Oakland can join the 40 other states that issue, and the 20 counties in California that also issue concealed handgun permits. If the situation is so bad, and there's no money available, it's time to try a proven, no-cost solution that has worked everywhere else. Why aren’t the residents of Oakland demanding CCW (concealed handgun permit) reform? CCW reform has been a success in 40 other states in the US. Every state within 1,000 miles of California is shall-issue. CCW issuance costs the city nothing (it’s paid for by fees). It makes business owners safer and will help keep much-needed jobs in the city. Oakland can join the 40 other states that issue, and the 20 counties in California that also issue concealed handgun permits. If the situation is so bad, and there’s no money available, it’s time to try a proven, no-cost solution that has worked everywhere else.

]]> By: Vicki http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-493 Vicki Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:27:36 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-493 They failed to ask about billboards. I've seen billboards this time. I haven't otherwise heard/seen about OPD recruitment except here. They failed to ask about billboards. I’ve seen billboards this time. I haven’t otherwise heard/seen about OPD recruitment except here.

]]> By: MJH http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-489 MJH Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:27:02 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-489 Question: While I agree that signinficant consideration should be given to the signing bonus option, how do you suggest we generate interest in, and awareness of, potential available signing bonuses without putting substantial dollars towards the advertising campaign? This question should be taken in literal terms, as opposed to the a sarcastic alternative. Thanks, Question:
While I agree that signinficant consideration should be given to the signing bonus option, how do you suggest we generate interest in, and awareness of, potential available signing bonuses without putting substantial dollars towards the advertising campaign?
This question should be taken in literal terms, as opposed to the a sarcastic alternative.

Thanks,

]]> By: Dogtown Commoner http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-486 Dogtown Commoner Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:06:19 +0000 http://www.abetteroakland.com/15-million-in-police-recruitment-ad-money-denied/2008-02-27#comment-486 I'm not sure I would read <i>too</i> much into those numbers. The two biggest responses are "Friend or Relative" and "OPDJobs.com" But does that <i>really</i> mean that 254 respondents just happened to go to OPDjobs.com to see if the OPD was recruiting? Or did a lot of those people see a TV or newspaper ad, then go on the internet to find more details? Similarly with the 160 Friend or Relative responses -- if Joe knows that his friend Jim is looking for a new job and he says "Hey Jim, I think Oakland might be hiring police recruits," isn't it possible that a decent number of those originate with advertising of some kind? The pdf notes that respondents could check more than one answer, but I wonder how many people who saw an ad then went to OPDjobs.com just chose OPDJobs.com as their only response on the questionnaire. I'm not necessarily arguing that the advertising has been effective, but I'm not totally convinced by these numbers that it has been ineffective either. Has Tucker or anyone else explained why signing bonuses are considered an ineffective use of funds? They seem like a decent idea to me, especially if Oakland is hoping to lure officers away from other departments, but I haven't studied the pros and cons at all. I’m not sure I would read too much into those numbers. The two biggest responses are “Friend or Relative” and “OPDJobs.com” But does that really mean that 254 respondents just happened to go to OPDjobs.com to see if the OPD was recruiting? Or did a lot of those people see a TV or newspaper ad, then go on the internet to find more details? Similarly with the 160 Friend or Relative responses — if Joe knows that his friend Jim is looking for a new job and he says “Hey Jim, I think Oakland might be hiring police recruits,” isn’t it possible that a decent number of those originate with advertising of some kind? The pdf notes that respondents could check more than one answer, but I wonder how many people who saw an ad then went to OPDjobs.com just chose OPDJobs.com as their only response on the questionnaire.

I’m not necessarily arguing that the advertising has been effective, but I’m not totally convinced by these numbers that it has been ineffective either. Has Tucker or anyone else explained why signing bonuses are considered an ineffective use of funds? They seem like a decent idea to me, especially if Oakland is hoping to lure officers away from other departments, but I haven’t studied the pros and cons at all.

]]>