A US mayor has announced a $25,000 bonus for anyone applying to become a police officer, as the city struggles to fill hundreds of positions.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced the incentive in his State of the City address earlier this year in hopes of improving the city’s officer shortage problem.
Beginning with this year’s 213th recruit class, all new recruits will receive the bonus if they complete three years on the force.
The Honolulu Police Department has lost 589 officers and hired only 274 new recruits, resulting in a loss of 315 officers between 2020 and 2023, according to an analysis of data from the Hawaii State Police Officers Organization.
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced the incentive in his State of the City address earlier this year in hopes of improving the city’s officer shortage problem.
During his speech, Mayor Blangiardi described the incentive as an “effort to attract young people to join” during his speech in March 2024.
“We know it’s a difficult decision. I wanted to make sure that our police department had every tool possible for their recruiting efforts, because that’s what it takes to try to attract some young people to join our police department,” he said.
A month after announcing the incentive, the department received 247 applications for officers, compared to 153 in April 2023.
But union leaders believe that increasing hiring through incentives is not enough to compensate. to fill the department’s staggering number of vacancies.
Jonathan Frye, president of the Honolulu chapter of the police union, said that despite the large number of applications, several are expected to be rejected for not meeting minimum requirements.
But union leaders believe that increasing hiring through incentives is not enough to offset the department’s staggering number of vacancies. (File image)
He also estimated that about one-third of those who attend police academy training will drop out before graduating.
The president believes that the loss of officials is probably due to the expiration of the negotiation contract.
He said it’s common for those who are eligible for retirement to leave at the end of a contract and, on average, the department can lose 140 to 150 officers per year.
‘It wasn’t uncommon to hear, especially older officers, say, ‘Hey, make sure you work 32 years, get a good retirement. It’s a great place to be, you’re going to love it.’
“But you don’t hear that kind of commentary as much anymore. So anecdotally, you hear more officers say, ‘You know what? I’m going to get 25 years and I’m out,'” Frye said. Associated Press.
A month after announcing the incentive, the department received 247 applications for officers, compared to 153 in April 2023.
According to Jack Rinchich, president of the American Law Enforcement Foundation, the department should also focus on retention policies rather than just recruiting incentives.
‘Every time an experienced officer leaves, no matter how many you hire, you can’t replace that skill and experience that exists within them.
“When you lose those senior officers, yes, you can fill their position, but you’re bringing in a person who has no experience,” he explained.
Last year alone, the department lost 143 sworn officers, including 68 who retired, 35 who permanently resigned, 23 who resigned for “probable” status, one person who died in the line of duty, and the remaining officers who left for reasons including termination and discharge.
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