The Dallas Police Department processed 82 job applicants in the first four weeks of the fiscal year, a 64.35% drop from the 230 it reported for the prior fiscal year, according to a staffing memo prepared for the City Council's Public Safety Committee.
The memo, dated Nov. 9 and covering activity through Oct. 27, blames part of the slowdown on the city's move to the Workday human resources system. "While we are off to a slow start, we are adjusting," the department's personnel division wrote.
The committee meets Monday afternoon at City Hall and by video.
Where the numbers stand
The department has 3,427 sworn officers, below the 4,000 it is aiming for. It beat last year's goal, hiring 378 officers against a target of 350, and six academy classes added 317 graduates to patrol in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
For the two fiscal years through 2028, the goal is 700 hires. The plan calls for seven academy classes a year plus a minimum of one class for officers transferring from other agencies each year, with room for 50 recruits per class. As of Oct. 27, 290 recruits were in the academy, and the next class was scheduled to start Nov. 4.
The applicant pipeline listed in the memo had 49 people in background checks, 20 in psychological and medical testing, 22 awaiting chain-of-command review and 22 assigned to the incoming academy class.
