DETROIT – Many Detroit police officers are leaving the job and city officials are hoping a $2,000 incentive will boost morale and ultimately keep officers around.
“They’re underpaid, overwhelmed. Cops get paid the least, like teachers don’t get paid enough,” Detroit resident Bill Zografos said.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, city council members and Detroit police Chief James White made the announcement on Tuesday (March 8).
“Great city council unanimously voted to pay a $2,000 retention incentive bonus to every one of our full-time officers who are on the job effective Feb. 21,” Duggan said.
Police assistants will receive a $1,000 bonus. The expectation is that officers joining the force will look at the move as a career, instead of just another job.
“My hope that this incentive program that has been implemented will curb the alarming number of officers that are leaving,” White said.
Officers who leave the Detroit Police Department have mainly been going to other suburban police departments like Warren and even the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department.
“They have stuck here through times where it was difficult. They have stuck here, where pay rates are not commensurate to other municipalities, not just nationally, but locally,” councilman Fred Durhal III said.
The incentive will cost right at $5 million, but Duggan believes this will pay off in many ways.
“What we want to do is put more money behind our officers and more money behind a public safety is a clear statement,” Duggan said.
The fight to keep Detroit police officers on the force has been going on for a while. Back in 2014, starting officers were making only $28,000 per year. That number has since been raised to about $45,000.