From Outreach to Outcomes: Lessons from a State Agency’s Targeted Minority Recruitment Initiative

This study evaluates the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s targeted minority recruitment initiative, funded by a U.S. COPS Office Diversity Recruitment Microgrant, which aimed to increase minority (non-White) applications by 10% and minority hires by 5%. A concurrent mixed-methods process and outcome evaluation compared applicant and hiring data across a 24-month pre-intervention baseline and a 13-month post-intervention period, supplemented by participant observation. The intervention integrated U.S. Census-based demographic mapping, a value-driven recruitment slogan, targeted in-person and virtual outreach events, a statewide billboard campaign, and internal analyses of hiring barriers. Results showed stable application patterns, with non-White applicants comprising about 41% of the pool both before and after the intervention. Although primary numerical targets were not met, female hires increased from 50.1% to 57.9%. Statistical analysis revealed no significant shifts in racial/ethnic hiring distributions. Process findings highlighted promising practices, including racially diverse recruitment teams, strong community partnerships, and effective virtual recruitment formats. The evaluation documents the implementation and outcomes of a multifaceted outreach initiative, including stable applicant composition, a modest increase in female hires, and several promising process practices, while the primary goals for minority applications and hires were not met.