March 2023 Blues Vol 39 No. 3

AROUND THE COUNTRY yrs.

AROUND THE COUNTRY yrs. HIRING INCENTIVES NORTH LAS VEGAS,NV. North Las Vegas PD announces up to a K Hiring Bonus. By Sarah Calams Police1 NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Police departments around the U.S. have been offering incentives for existing officers, lateral transfers and potential recruits to help close the gap of officer shortages. In Nevada, the North Las Vegas Police Department is hoping a big-dollar bonus is enough to incentivize and attract lateral recruits. The department’s latest incentives mean a lateral transfer could earn up to a ,000 bonus from the department, according to the city’s press release. The latest offer includes: ,000 bonus for lateral officers ,000 one-time relocation allowance for new hires from outside of the Las Vegas Valley ,000 hiring incentive for honorably discharged military members or active members of the National Guard and Reserves The department also listed other employment benefits, including: a salary range of ,000 to ,000 depending on experience, four-day work week, multilingual pay, modified field training, 14 annual holidays, shift differential pay, PERS retirement pension, medical benefits, education incentives, 457 option and an annual uniform allowance. ATLANTA, GA. Atlanta approves 0K for housing incentives for police and firefighters. By Riley Bunch Atlanta Journal-Constitution ATLANTA — Atlanta City Council members approved a plan to donate 0,000 of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Atlanta Police Foundation to pay for housing incentives for the city’s public safety officials. The plan was proposed by Mayor Andre Dickens last month and passed unanimously by the council on Monday. The Atlanta Police Foundation, with help from the Atlanta Apartment Association, will oversee the money, which will be distributed as a housing subsidy to first responders as an incentive to live near the area they serve. Atlanta City Councilman Amir Farokhi, who sponsored the legislative effort, told the AJC that the incentive program is one way COVID-19 relief dollars can be used to try to address crime that spiked during the pandemic. “I think this is appropriate because it makes for stronger neighborhoods and a more safe city,” he said. “If we can have our firefighters and police officers living in the city it helps them better understand the fabric of the neighborhoods they work in and builds relationships that I think benefit us all. During his first year, Dickens pledged to bolster the city’s public safety resources to address high rates of violent crime. The housing incentives join an array of other plans to support first responders, like retention bonuses for police officers that also utilize American Rescue Plan funds. Farokhi said that while the money is for one-time use, if the program is successful, the council and the mayor’s office could talk about using general fund dollars to extend it. “We hear from officers and firefighters all the time, particularly younger ones, that they want to live in the city but they feel priced out,” he said. “And that’s even when we’ve been increasing salaries of fire and police to be market leaders in the area.” 38 The BLUES The BLUES 39