P.O. Box 3369
Anaheim, CA 92803-
3369
www.anaheim.net
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
ANAHEIM POLICE DEPARTMENT
DATE: APRIL 12, 2022
FROM: ANAHEIM POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: POLICE DEPARTMENT HIRING INCENTIVE PROGRAM
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): NO ITEM # 05
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Motion, authorize the Police Department to implement a hiring incentive program to attract qualified police officer candidates through June 30, 2023.
DISCUSSION:
On December 21, 2021, the City Council authorized the Anaheim Police Department (APD) to accept federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (“COPS”), in the amount of $2,500,000, allowing for the hiring of 20 entry-level police officers in an effort to increase the Department’s community policing and crime prevention efforts. This comes at a time when many police agencies across Southern California are having difficulty recruiting quality candidates. The Police Department and the Human Resources Department have worked on recruitment strategies to increase police officer recruitment efforts.
Unfortunately, the competition between law enforcement agencies to attract qualified police officer candidates has increased significantly in the last three years. Despite the Department’s recent recruitment efforts, the Police Department still has 37 sworn officer vacancies and expects to lose more sworn staff through attrition. In order to address this issue and keep the Anaheim Police Department competitive in recruitment, staff is proposing the following three (3) police officer hiring incentives from the date of City Council approval through June 30, 2023, for at least 50 officer positions.
1. APD HIRING INCENTIVE
Newly hired Lateral Officers would be eligible for an incremental $15,000 incentive payment. The payment will be received in three installments:
The first installment of $5,000 will be paid the first full pay period following the first date of employment
The second installment of $5,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following successful completion of the field training program The third installment of $5,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following successful completion of probation
Police Department Hiring Incentive Program
April 12, 2022
Newly hired Trainee Officers would be eligible for an incremental $10,000 incentive payment. The payment will be in three installments:
The first installment of $3,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following the first date of employment
The second installment of $3,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following successful completion of the field training program The third installment of $4,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following successful completion of probation
Requirement:
The hiring incentive for laterals and new trainee officers shall be effective after City Council approval and shall only apply to those candidates applying to newly posted recruitments reflecting such incentive.
2. MILITARY VETERAN RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE
The U.S. Department of Justice COPS grant also requires the Police Department to commit to hire a minimum of five (5) military veterans. In order to meet this requirement, staff is proposing an additional $5,000 signing bonus to both lateral and officer trainees who are military veterans.
Requirements:
The Military Veteran must have been honorably discharged from the armed services and submit appropriate documentation
The first installment of $2,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following the first date of employment
The second installment of $3,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following successful completion of the field training program Both lateral and trainee applicants are eligible for the incentive. The incentive for laterals and new trainee officers is effective and shall only apply to those candidates applying to newly posted recruitments reflecting such incentive, occurring after City Council approval.
3. REFERRAL INCENTIVE
In order to encourage Police Department employees to assist in the recruitment of police officer candidates, the Police Department proposes an incentive to enhance our recruitment efforts. Permanent, active, full-time Police Department employees who refer a police officer applicant (lateral or trainee) that is successful in the hiring process may receive a total of $2,000. The first installment of $1,000 will be paid the first full pay period following the successful new employee’s hiring
Police Department Hiring Incentive Program
April 12, 2022
The second installment of $1,000 will be paid after the first full pay period following the new employee’s successful completion of the field training program
Requirements:
Eligible Police Department employees shall be permanent, full time, active Police Department employees and must be in this same status at the time the incentive payment is disbursed
Eligible Police Department employees shall be in good standing with the department and the city, as evidenced by an employee’s personnel file and determined by the Police Chief
The officer candidate shall clearly indicate the APD employee’s full name and position title on the submitted application. Once submitted, the application shall not be amended to include the referring employee. Staff serving in any capacity of recruitment and/or personnel (Police Department) during any period of the application/recruitment process shall not be eligible for the incentive
All above-proposed incentives are non-PERSable and subject to amounts payable under federal, state, and local taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation. Human Resources consulted with representatives from the respective bargaining units and received no objection to the above recommendations.
The estimated cost to implement the hiring incentive program is approximately $750,000.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Funding for incentive costs will be included in the Police Department’s proposed FY 2022/23 budget.
Respectfully submitted,
Jorge Cisneros
Chief of Police