Keeping and recruiting new officers has been a struggle for the Albuquerque Police Department. “I’d like to start by saying that we’ve been open and honest about the challenges we faced with recruiting,” said Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said. But Friday the department released a plan they believe will help fix the problem. “We’re trying to keep officers from leaving. So, we’re offering incentives for individuals who have 19 years of peer service credit. The incentive that we’re offering these officers is they will get a check on every last day of the month,” Medina said.The check will be an additional $1,500 a month. Medical will be paid for by the city money for the plan coming from existing funds. “We have salary savings that we’re able to utilize,” Medina said.When Mayor Tim Keller took office five years ago he promised to grow the department to 1200 officers. Today police officials acknowledged they had 857 officers, 350 shy of the mayor’s goal. “We talked about our goal of 1200 officers. We still would love to get to 1,200 officers, but I’m here today to say that it’s going to be very difficult,” Medina said. Despite this police union president Shaun Willoughby who helped work on the plan, believes it will be successful in keeping veteran officers. “There were a lot of officers that were eligible to retire, ready to move out, that are going to be staying around to take advantage of this benefit,” Willoughby said. The plan will be implemented at the end of October. The police department said they are still offering $10,000 for new cadet recruits.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM —
Keeping and recruiting new officers has been a struggle for the Albuquerque Police Department.
“I’d like to start by saying that we’ve been open and honest about the challenges we faced with recruiting,” said Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said.
But Friday the department released a plan they believe will help fix the problem.
“We’re trying to keep officers from leaving. So, we’re offering incentives for individuals who have 19 years of peer service credit. The incentive that we’re offering these officers is they will get a check on every last day of the month,” Medina said.
The check will be an additional $1,500 a month. Medical will be paid for by the city money for the plan coming from existing funds.
“We have salary savings that we’re able to utilize,” Medina said.
When Mayor Tim Keller took office five years ago he promised to grow the department to 1200 officers.
Today police officials acknowledged they had 857 officers, 350 shy of the mayor’s goal.
“We talked about our goal of 1200 officers. We still would love to get to 1,200 officers, but I’m here today to say that it’s going to be very difficult,” Medina said.
Despite this police union president Shaun Willoughby who helped work on the plan, believes it will be successful in keeping veteran officers.
“There were a lot of officers that were eligible to retire, ready to move out, that are going to be staying around to take advantage of this benefit,” Willoughby said.
The plan will be implemented at the end of October.
The police department said they are still offering $10,000 for new cadet recruits.
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