Few studies of police recruitment have investigated successful methods of recruiting women and people of color. This study follows the first ever Millersville University Student Citizen’s Police Academy, which took place in the fall of 2020, and aimed to interest students who are women and people of color in a career in law enforcement. This study examines whether the academy increased the participants’ interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement, whether the participants gained knowledge of the field, and if the academy influenced their perceptions of the policing profession. Participants completed a pre- and post-survey which allowed the authors to collect demographics from each participant, and quantitative data on whether participants’ knowledge, interest, and perceptions changed over the course of the academy. Our preliminary findings show that 90% of participants said they are more interested in a career in law enforcement than before attending the academy. The findings suggest that the participants’ self-identified knowledge of the law enforcement field and their interest in a career within law enforcement both increased by attending the Millersville University Student Citizen’s Police Academy. Findings suggest that different marketing strategies should be used to gain more participation from women and people of color.
