The San Francisco Police Department says it’s struggling to meet the city's law enforcement needs because it’s so short staffed. While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how many officers the SFPD has the budget to hire, the number of applications to its academy has plummeted over the years. San Francisco is not alone in facing waning interest in police careers. Recruiters and marketers say it’s a nationwide challenge. But they also say departments must modernize their approaches, streamline their application processes, and target young people with messages tailored to their generation. | Unlimited Chronicle access: sfchronicle.com/pod

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