New hires at police departments rebounded, retirements slowed, and resignations soared in 2021, according to a new national survey by Police Executive Research Forum (PERF.) The survey found that the number of new hires jumped 21 percent among responding agencies, when compared with 2020, though still falling short of the 2019 level. The police workforce experienced a significant drop in 2020, due to the pandemic, the defund the police movement, and budget cuts, according to PERF. Also, in 2021, the number of retirements slowed by 6 percent, compared with the year before, though were still higher than in 2019. Meanwhile, resignations continued to soar, by 40 percent, compared with 2020, the survey found. PERF sent the voluntary survey in mid-January to agency chief members in the U.S., including sheriffs, commissioners, and superintendents. It received 179 replies. Five Canadian agencies participated in the survey, which also found that: – The rise and …