HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 31 - Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program31. Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program
Department(s):
Recommended Action: Adopt a resolution approving the continuation of the Police
Officer Hiring Bonus program in a total amount not to exceed $600,000 offering
$10,000 per officer, $15,000 for an officer with a Bachelor's degree, or $15,000 for
an officer who is a military veteran, and up $20,000 for an officer who is a military
veteran with a Bachelor's degree.
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XXX A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA ANA APPROVING POLICE OFFICER HIRING BONUS
PROGRAM FOR POLICE OFFICER APPLICANTS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO
EXCEED $600,000
Police Department
www.santa-ana.org/pol ice
Item # 31
or City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
July 18, 2023
TOPIC: Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program
AGENDA TITLE
Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt a resolution approving the continuation of the Police Officer Hiring Bonus
program in a total amount not to exceed $600,000 offering $10,000 per officer, $15,000
for an officer with a Bachelor's degree, or $15,000 for an officer who is a military
veteran, and up $20,000 for an officer who is a military veteran with a Bachelor's
degree.
DISCUSSION
Similar to most law enforcement agencies throughout the state and county, the Santa
Ana Police Department (SAPD) is attempting to fill vacancies for the position of sworn
police officer. Over the last six years, we have increased the standards for police officer
hiring, when other agencies have actually lowered standards to meet this industry wide
recruitment challenge. Serving as a Santa Ana police officer is an honor and a privilege
and our Department is highly sought after based on our strong reputation of teamwork,
comradery, high morale and industry leading professionalism.
We request the continuing of a hiring bonus in order to offer a reasonable incentive, as
we leverage our hiring strategy. Our Department prides itself in investing in our own
internal culture to support our dual policing framework of: Community Based and
Traditional Policing. Some local agencies have as high as 75% lateral police officers
that make up their workforce, importing a mix of cultures not centered within the
Department. Our Department is composed of approximately 35% laterals; meaning the
majority of our workforce learned the nuances of policing, specific to our Santa Ana
community and culture. This is a key difference in hiring strategies.
The biggest challenge facing law enforcement is the significant decline in applicants. In
2022, the City Council approved a $10,000 hiring bonus for each new officer, not to
exceed $100,000 in total, which has been fully encumbered. From June 1, 2021 to May
Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program
July 18, 2023
Page 2
31, 2022, there was a total of 980 applicants. From June 1, 2022 to present
there was a total of 1,233 applicants, which is a 26 percent increase.
A national recruitment trend is the offering of a hiring bonus ranging from $5,000 to
$75,000. Locally, the Anaheim Police Department is currently offering $10,000 to
$15,000. Below is an example of what some California municipal agencies are currently
offering as a hiring bonus:
Agency
Amount
Terms
Alameda Police
$75,000
$25,000 upon being sworn in; $50,000 at the
Department
completion of field training
$3,000 upon first full pay period following first
Anaheim Police
$10,000-
date of employment; $3,000 upon successful
Department
$15,000
completion of field training program; $4,000
upon successful completion of probation
$5,000 additional military veteran incentive
Bay Area Rapid Transit
$15,000
$5,000 upon hire; $10,000 upon completion
of field training program
Buena Park Police
$4,000 upon hire; $4,000 upon completion of
Department
$12,000
field training program; and $4,000 upon
completion of second year of service
$2,500 upon hire; $2,500 upon completion of
Colton Police Department
$15,000
field training program and six months; $5,000
after completion of probation; $5,000 after
one-year anniversary of probation
Redding Police
$20,000 upon hire; $10,000 upon completion
Department
$40,000
of field training program; $10,000 after
completion of one-year probation
San Francisco Police
$ 5,000
$5,000 upon completion of field training
Department
program
Maintaining and increasing our signing bonus for new hires will bolster our efforts and falls in
line with the prevailing trend throughout the state. It is recommended the City Council
implement and increase a hiring bonus of up to $20,000 for police officers (offering $10,000
per officer, $15,000 for an officer with a Bachelor's degree, or $15,000 for an officer who
Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program
July 18, 2023
Page 3
is a military veteran, and $20,000 for an officer who is a military veteran with a
Bachelor's degree), which is competitive with neighboring agencies. Eligibility for this
program will be limited to only new police officer applicants who apply after adoption of the
program. The bonus would be paid out incrementally as follows for new police officers:
New Recruits /Academy Graduates
Military
Incremental Payment
New Hire
Military
Bachelor's
Veteran +
Milestones
Veteran
Degree
Bachelor's
Degree
First Full Pay Period following
$ 2,500
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
Academy Graduation
Successful Completion of
$ 2,500
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 7,500
Field Trainin Program
Successful Completion of
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 5,000
$ 7,500
Probation
Total Bonus
$10,000
$15,000
$15,000
$20,000
Lateral Police Officers
Military
Incremental Payment
New Hire
Military
Bachelor's
Veteran +
Milestones
Veteran
Degree
Bachelor's
Degree
First Full Pay Period following
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Academy Graduation
Successful Completion of
$ 5,000
$ 7,500
$ 7,500
$10,000
Field Training Program
Successful Completion of
$ 5,000
$ 7,500
$ 7,500
$10,000
Probation
Total Bonus
$10,000
$15,000
$15,000
$20,000
This program will be publicized in the SAPID recruitment flyers, Govern mentjobs.com
postings, at job fairs, on social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), Nixle
alert, and on the City's website. At the direction of the City Council, the expansion of
the Police Officer Hiring Program will assist in recruiting and hiring all 29 current vacant
positions. Between May 23, 2023, and June 7, 2023, two officers were hired after the
initial $100,000 of the program had been obligated. Staff recommends providing the
same original program bonus to the two officers for equitable application of the
program's intent.
Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program
July 18, 2023
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FISCAL IMPACT
City Council previously directed staff to use salary savings from the sworn position
vacancies for the hiring bonus. Funds in the amount of $600,000 will be transferred
from the Police Department's Field Operations Salaries account to the Human
Resources, PD Hiring Bonus account no. (01114402-61045) for expenditure. All
committed funds unpaid by the end of the fiscal year shall be carried forward for
expenditure in subsequent fiscal years.
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Resolution
Submitted By: David Valentin, Police Chief
Approved By: Kristine Ridge, City Manager
EXHIBIT 1
TB 7.18.2023
RESOLUTION NO. 2023-xxx
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SANTA ANA APPROVING A POLICE OFFICER HIRING
BONUS PROGRAM FOR POLICE OFFICER APPLICANTS IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $600,000
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA AS
FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines
and declares as follows:
A. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Ana recognizes the need
to hire and fill Police Officer positions; and
B. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Santa Ana understands the
growing demand across the state for Police Officers; and
C. WHEREAS, maintaining and increasing signing bonuses for new hires will
bolster the Santa Ana Police Department's efforts to recruit and retain new Police Officers
and will fall in line with the prevailing trend throughout the state.
D. WHEREAS, the Santa Ana Police Department will create a reasonable
tiered payment program in connection with the hiring bonuses as follows:
$10,000 per officer,
$15,000 for an officer with a Bachelor's degree, or
$15,000 for an officer who is a military veteran, and
up $20,000 for an officer who is a military veteran with a
Bachelor's degree
Section 2. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the
City of Santa Ana hereby approves the Police Officer Hiring Bonus Program for Police
Officers as set forth in the accompanying Staff Report, attached hereto and made a part
hereof in an amount not to exceed $600,000.
Section 3. If section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this
Resolution is for any reason held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such
decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Resolution. The City
Council hereby declares that it would have passed and adopted this Resolution, and each
and all provisions hereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more provisions may be
declared invalid.
Resolution 2023-xxx
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Section 4. This Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the
City Council, and the Clerk of the Council shall attest to and certify the vote adopting this
Resolution.
ADOPTED this
day of July 2023.
Valerie Amezcua
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney
By: —J�a'
Tamara Bogosian
Sr. Assistant City Attorney
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTAIN:
NOT PRESENT
Councilmembers
Councilmembers
Councilmembers
Councilmembers
CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY
I, JENNIFER L. HALL, City Clerk, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution
No. 2023-XXX to be the original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of
Santa Ana on
Date:
Clerk of the Council
City of Santa Ana
Resolution 2023-xxx
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