This week we welcome our first guest to the show, Janine Nicole Dennis, Chief Innovations Officer of Talent Think Innovations. Janine’s career spans more than fifteen years in HR and Talent Acquisition and has taken her through the world of pharmaceuticals, healthcare, staffing and R&D. Her deep industry experience, combined with her upbringing as the child of a black NYPD sergeant, affords her a unique and invaluable perspective about the TA challenges facing police departments at this heightened moment of awareness. Janine first shared her thoughts on race and police relations in a 2015 piece entitled, “Dear NYPD: You Need a Talent Management Overhaul.” In this episode, we discuss the article, what has (and hasn’t) changed since its publication, and the lessons talent acquisition leaders in any business can glean from her experience.   

Topics include: the challenges of attracting black candidates given the historical frayed trust between the police and communities of color, the issues that arise from assigning rookie officers to patrol disadvantaged neighborhoods, the problem of police officers living outside the communities they patrol, the difference between “compliance” and good faith D&I efforts, the true meaning of “inclusivity,” and what it means to create a culture that not only attracts diverse talent, but allows it to thrive.