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Home My WebLink About _ 9.9(c)--Signing Bonus CITY OF REDDING REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL Recommendation Authorize and approve the following for the Redding Police Department: (1) Extend the lateral signing incentive for an additional 18-months in the amount of $40,000, with payment of the bonus to continue to be in installments of $20,000 at hiring, $10,000 at successful completion of field training, and $10,000 after completion of probation, with a contract remaining in place requiring a three-year commitment to the Redding Police Department to receive the bonus. Lateral officers that resign prior to the full three years are required to repay the incentive at a prorated rate; and (2) Authorize and approve the City Manager to cancel the incentive without City Council approval due to unforeseen issues such as budget reductions. Fiscal Impact The cost of the hiring incentive will be paid for through the existing Redding Police Department’s (RPD) budget. The cost is considerably less than a police recruit (academy) position. Alternative Action The City Council (Council) could choose not to extend the hiring incentive for lateral police officers and provide staff with alternative direction. Not extending the hiring incentives may impact RPD’s ability to recruit qualified applicants to fill vacant police officer positions. Background/Analysis On March 15, 2022, the Council approved a $40,000 lateral signing bonus for police officer positions. RPD was facing a high level of turnover due to retirements, resignations, and injuries to officers. In 2021 and 2022, the City Council approved multiple new police officer positions – including Park Rangers, Crisis Intervention Response Team, and Beat 8. MEETING DATE: September 5, 2023 ITEM NO. 9.9(c) FROM: ***APPROVED BY*** bschueller@reddingpolice.org btippin@cityofredding.org SUBJECT: 9.9(c)--Consider extending the Redding Police Department's $40,000 signing bonus for an additional 18-months. Bill Schueller, Chief of Police Report to Redding City Council August 29, 2023 Re: 9.9(c)--Signing Bonus Page 2 Lateral police officers offer a distinct advantage due to their experience, a shorter training period with a Field Training Officer (FTO), and providing significant cost savings to RPD. The estimated cost for a police recruit to attend the police academy is approximately $78,000, which includes academy cost, salary, benefits, meal and lodging stipend, uniform allowance, and ammunition. This cost does not include the additional field training time before being released as a solo officer. Lateral police officers are currently averaging nine weeks in the field training program while police recruits are averaging seventeen weeks. This results in police recruits averaging an additional eight weeks of field training, which includes an officer doubled with the officer in training and not available for staffing a patrol beat. The average cost for the additional eight weeks of a FTO’s salary/benefits is $26,240. This additional cost to the Department for a recruit versus a lateral police officer is approximately $104,000. After the approval of the lateral signing bonus, word quickly spread in the law enforcement community and RPD received applications from many well-qualified, lateral candidates. RPD has hired 22 lateral police officers in the 18-month period that the signing bonus was available. Sixteen of the 22 lateral police officers have been successful and are still employed with R PD. This is a 72 percent success rate. Between 2019 and 2021, the lateral success rate was 95 percent. The six that were unsuccessful left voluntarily for various reasons, but most returned to their original agencies or had personal issues relocating. Per the lateral signing bonus contract, officers that have left have either paid back the signing bonus or will be sent to collections. During that same time period, RPD hired fifteen police recruits. Thirteen of the police recruits were successful and are currently working as police officers at RPD. This is an 86 percent success rate. Between 2019 and 2021, the recruit success rate was only 46 percent. RPD attributes the increased success rate to several changes made to the recruiting process. The department now utilizes two agency-operated police academies that include the Alameda County Sheriff’s Academy and Sacramento Police Academy. The RPD Training Sergeant and Field Training Officers are assigned to individual recruits throughout the academy in a mentor role. The department also implemented an in-house RPD orientation period for recruits prior to attending the police academy. RPD has hired three entry level police officers and two have been successful and are currently employed. This is a 66 percent success rate. In the March 8, 2022 report to City Council (staff report) regarding the request for a lateral signing bonus, the following agencies were listed with current signing bonuses. Redding Police Department $10,000 Chico Police Department $10,000 Shasta County Sheriff’s Office $15,000 Paradise Police Department $20,000 Eureka Police Department $20,000 Vacaville Police Department $20,000 Palo Alto Police Department $25,000 San Mateo Police Department $30,000 Alameda Police Department $30,000 Oakland Police Department $50,000 Scotts Valley Police Department $50,000 Report to Redding City Council August 29, 2023 Re: 9.9(c)--Signing Bonus Page 3 Since that time, many agencies have started a lateral signing bonus program and/or increased the amount offered. Scotts Valley is the only listed agency that decreased their signing bonus from $50,000 to $40,000. Yuba City was added to the list below with the recent addition of a $45,000 signing bonus. Redding Police Department $40,000 Chico Police Department $40,000 Shasta County Sheriff’s Office $15,000 Paradise Police Department $40,000 Eureka Police Department $20,000 Vacaville Police Department $20,000 Palo Alto Police Department $25,000 San Mateo Police Department $30,000 Alameda Police Department $75,000 Oakland Police Department $50,000 Scotts Valley Police Department $40,000 Yuba City Police Department $45,000 Environmental Review This item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act, therefore, no further action is required at this time. Council Priority/City Manager Goals • Public Safety – “Work to improve all aspects of public safety to help people feel secure and safe where they live, work, and play in the City of Redding.”