Liz Lightfoot
Department of Safety
Over the past couple of years, the Denver Sheriff Department had some challenging publicity for a variety of reasons. The cause of many of these troubles was due to the lack of staffing. A courageous decision was made by the Budget Management Office, the Executive Director of Safety, and the Mayor's Office in late summer 2015 to start a sheriff academy in January 2016 made up of 100 cadets. Thus the "Mega Class” was born.
Liz Lightfoot led the recruitment effort that resulted in the selection of 109 candidates who were placed in either the January 2016 class or will start in the summer cadet class. The Mega Class is the largest cadet class ever in the 115 year history of DSD and it deserves mentioning that Liz executed this recruitment within a four month period. The speed of this recruitment is unprecedented in the history of the Denver Sheriff Department.
Prior to Liz’s work on this recruitment, it would take an average of 257 days, or 8.5 months to seat a qualified applicant into a Denver Sheriff Department Academy. To reduce this time in order to meet the Mega Class’ recruitment timetable, Liz employed several innovative strategies.
Liz attracted qualified candidates statewide by attending career fairs in places like Colorado Springs, Blackhawk, Grand Junction, and law enforcement agencies throughout the Front Range. Liz represented the positive aspects of the Denver Sheriff Department throughout the state and even via radio stations to attract top talent to become a part of the Mega Class.
Liz successfully leveraged her relationships with our private medical vendors to expedite their physical and psychological tests for these candidates. Liz used her considerable communication skills to impress upon our vendors the importance of working over the holidays and in conducting these important tests in an expedited fashion.
Liz led a team of civilians in using recruiting best practices to identify the quality and quantity of applicants necessary for a class of this size. This transition was uncomfortable at times and would have led an employee of lesser temerity than Liz to quit.
Ultimately, Liz used every skill set and tool at her disposal to build this first ever Mega Class, including courage, tenacity and customer service.
Because of Liz’s efforts, it took 82 days to seat the Mega Class; a reduction of 175 days.