Law enforcement agencies across the country are battling an officer shortage. Across the country, 86 percent of police departments are dealing with an officer shortage. Half of those departments report the shortage has gotten worse in the last five years. Recruiters blame the hot job market, as well as greater skepticism about law enforcement as a career choice. That skepticism has grown in the past few years, fed by viral videos of controversial incidents of use of force by police. Where hundreds of people used to apply for a job opening, now it's often only a handful.