My Top Social Media Platforms for Police Recruiting in 2026!

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Ready to start seeing some real results from your police recruiting efforts on social media? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️

Yeah, you bet you are and here’s the secret to it all…you gotta be on the right platforms. 🤫

So, with the new year right at our doorstep, here are my three hottest social media platforms that your agency should be using for police recruiting in 2026...keep reading! 👀

Hey everyone, it’s Tom Sye your Police Marketing FTO, and this week, let’s plan ahead a little bit.  2026 is here and if you want to get the most out of it in terms of your police recruiting…you better be thinking a lot about social media and how you can start using it to attract those Generation Z employees who are going to make up the bulk of your applications over the next 12 months. 🧲

Now…you’ve heard me say this before and I’m going to say it again…there’s a big difference between being on social media and winning on social media! 🏆

So, if it’s winning that you came for…you’re in luck.  Here are my three best social media platforms you will absolutely, one hundred percent want to have a strong presence on in 2026 for better police recruiting results…

#1 Instagram

If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, this should come as no surprise to you whatsoever.  I’ve been telling you for the past three years that Instagram is where you should be if you’re anywhere near serious about filling those vacancies of yours and this coming year will be no different. 🤷‍♂️

While yes…the total of number of users has declined this year compared to last and it’s also true that other platforms are bigger and have more advertisers spending their dollars on them…listen to me very closely when I tell you there still isn’t a social media platform in the world better at attracting police officer applicants than Instagram.  💯

It will continue to be an absolute hot bed for 21-30 year olds who visit this app every single day to not only to keep up with friends and family but to also hone in on topics that really matter to them…like, I don’t know…finding a job as opposed to the pure entertainment factor that other platforms, such as TikTok provide to them.  Hit them with the information they need to realize your agency is the kind of place people like them work.  💡  

Here’s another important Instagram factor…laterals are hanging out there too.  They are nowhere near as vocal and are your classic social media lurkers, never liking, commenting, or sharing a single thing that you put out…but they’re there…watching your every move.  Don’t forget to deliver the content they want to see as well. 👍

#2 LinkedIn

If LinkedIn’s inclusion here surprises you…there’s a really good reason for that.  You’re not currently experiencing the power of the LinkedIn platform and likely don’t have an account focused only on your agency’s police recruiting there! 🤯

Listen, this platform is jam packed with lateral applicants, military folks, college kids looking for what’s next and most importantly, a loyal and passionate army of current and former police officers from all over the country who if they like what you’re doing will actually share your stuff and vouch for your agency even if they don’t work for you! 😮

It really is an incredible social media community, and you should absolutely be a part of it if you want to win. 💪

I fully expect LinkedIn to keep growing in 2026, as the platform continues to make a hard push for video content as the be all/end all throughout the new year in efforts to attract more Generation Z users to them.  For the time being, don’t focus too much on video right now and stick with photo posts that provide awesome information about your openings, pay and benefits while including tips for making it through your hiring process.  That’ll help you win here for sure. 👌

#3 TikTok

Before you hit me with the ‘isn’t this platform for kids’ or ‘aren’t they getting banned’ let me clarify those positions with a simple one-word answer…no. 😎

TikTok is going as strong as ever and here’s a really sneaky fact that you need to know for your police recruiting efforts…there’s a ton of females on this platform and you won’t believe how much they’ll interact with you in the form of likes, comments and private messages asking questions. 👋

Now…I would be remiss if I didn’t mention there are also a lot of really angry, anti-police type people on this platform as well…and trust me…you’re unfortunately going to hear from them too…but the female engagement easily outweighs the bad of having to put up with some nasty comments here and there.  Don’t let it stop you. ⚖️

Video is king on TikTok, but I’ll let you in on a little secret of mine…my photo posts, and in particular my multi photo posts consistently outperform my video content by a wide margin!  Stand out from the sea of videos on this platform and post some photos for an easy engagement boost. 🚀

All right…that should be enough to get you started.  Make sure to create an account, if you haven’t already, and use these three social media giants to meet applicants where they’re at…build a relationship with them…and show them that people like them, work for you. 🙌

Ready to dive your police recruiting a little deeper into this subject? 

My Social Media Rap Sheet will break down 8 of today’s hottest social media platforms and teach you about their typical users, what’s been working for me, what’s not been working for me, and will give you my honest, unbiased recommendations for each. ✔️

Download your copy for free right now by visiting forcopstraining.com/smrs.

Have a friend in recruiting who is struggling with their social media presence?  Share this newsletter with them so they can learn too!  Trust me, they’ll be stoked that you did, and the future of our profession will thank you later. 🤝

Have more questions about police recruiting, marketing, or anything else you're struggling with? Don't hesitate to reach out...I’m always here to help. 🙏

Until next week my Police Marketing Squad, happy recruiting! 😃

Tom

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👋 I’m Tom Sye, your Police Marketing FTO. I founded ‘For Cops’ Training to teach Police Departments how to attract more qualified candidates through the same tried and tested methods I’ve used for the past ten years at my own department to keep up with turnover and stay ahead of vacancies.

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