El Cajon City Council unanimously voted in modifying the El Cajon Police Department’s New Hire Incentive Program for Sworn Police Officers by providing financial incentives for new lateral sworn police officers and newly graduated police officers. And in addition, providing financial incentives to city employees for referral of officers.
Council member Michelle Metschel was absent.
In October 2017, Council approved the creation of the Memorandum of Understanding pilot program, which was extended in September 2014, originally created to address the shortage of police officers in the city. The City has increased staffing levels through aggressive recruiting efforts, but staff reports the city still finds itself with a shortage of senior level officers.
The modification of this program will be effective for recruitments Feb. 15. The program will end June 30, 2024, unless the parties mutually agree to an extension. The approximate annual costs per fiscal year will be paid out of the Police Department’s salary savings.
Under the current MOU, new lateral sworn police officers who successfully completes probation with receive a $2,500 payment, and an additional $2,500 after completion of two additional years of employment after probation. A $2,500 payment to existing eligible City employees for referral of a new lateral sworn police officer who successfully completes probation and additional $2,500 after the officer has completed two years of employment after probation.
Effective Feb. 15, new lateral sworn police officers who successfully complete the hiring process receive a $10,000 payment of their third paycheck following hire, and additional $5,000 after successfully completing probation, and another additional $5,000 on the third paycheck following the two year anniversary of the new lateral sworn police officers.
Eligible active benefitted City employees must be employed in a benefitted position at all times during which payments are made. If eligible City employees leave City employment, they will forfeit any remaining monies. Leaving City employment includes employees who leave employment and subsequently are rehired. Eligible city employees will receive $2,500 for referral of new lateral sworn police officers, and an additional $2,500 after the new officers successfully complete probation.
New police recruits or Police Academy graduates who graduate from the Academy and probation receive $2,500 on the third paycheck after probation, and an additional $2,500 after completion of one additional year of employment.
Eligible City employees receive a $2,500 payment for referral of police recruits who complete the Academy and probation period, and an additional $2,500 after one additional year of employment.
Director of Human Resources Marisol Thorn said as recruitment has progressed, so has its nearby cities.
“We continue to have a need to recruit through lateral because we have a shortage in senior officers,” she said. “In looking in our neighboring cities, and the other agencies in the region, we are trying to remain competitive…We hope to continue to attract laterals.”
City Manager Graham Mitchell said that in competition with other municipalities, this is not as much as some cities are offering, but enough.
“I am hoping that someone is not working for El Cajon and El Cajon residents because we are paying them $5,000 more than Chula Vista,” he said. “We hope that gets them interested in El Cajon, but we want them to come to El Cajon because they like our culture. There are going to be some police officers that are going to like the culture of National City and Chula Vista. We hope they figure that out in the recruitment process.”
Council member Gary Kendrick said the city saves a lot of money in hiring experienced officers.
“They hit the ground running. I think this is money very well spent,” he said.
