BALTIMORE — A new push is underway by the Baltimore Police Department to attract new recruits and keep the officers they already have.
Right now the Department is nearly 400 officers short of its goal to staff more than 2,600 officers. It also needs to fill about 400 civilian positions.
Working with City Leaders and the FOP, the department announced new hiring incentives including a $5,000 signing bonus to all those joining the department.
BPD will offer $1,000 per month to help with housing costs for new hires. This will apply for their first year of full-time employment as long as they live within Baltimore City limits. That's an extra $12,000 on top of current pay.
The department also plans to offer an additional $5,000 per year to help pay down student loans.
“This is about making a smart investment that should significantly enhance our efforts in attracting new recruits, while also incentivizing retention for our experienced officers. We want to reward our officers for their hard work in attracting new employees to join the Department,” said Commissioner Michael Harrison.
“I am committed to improving working conditions, living conditions and the quality of life for all of our personnel and the residents of Baltimore. Together, we will show that the BPD is the Greatest Law Enforcement Agency in America.”
The Department also wants to keep the officers it already has on its payroll and is offering them more.
In October 2021, the department, City and FOP approved a new labor contract designed to reduce officer attrition by creating higher pay incentives for officers to remain with the Department.
That contract went into effect in July.
Under this, the Baltimore Police Department is the highest paid major law enforcement agency in the state. Starting pay will be no less than $60,000 annually for new recruits -- a 10% increase over the current rate of pay.
Members in the Department received varying percentage increases up to as much as 11% in order to improve the pay schedule for members throughout their careers.
All sworn members with more than 11 years of service received at least a 2% raise to enhance retention of veteran officers. Those with more than 20 years of service received between 3.5% and 5% raises.
Next July, all members of the Department will receive a 2% raise. Those members with greater than 19 years of service will receive a a 3% increase.
"Where police departments across the country are losing officers, we are actively working to attract new recruits and improve retainment as part of our wider public safety strategy," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott.
"Being nationally competitive and attracting the best and brightest to serve in the Baltimore Police Department will help us expand our capacity to serve and protect our residents and ensure safer communities throughout Baltimore."
You can start your application process online.
Harrison explained the boost is aimed to help reduce the workload of officers already on the force.
As unrelenting violence permeates Baltimore streets, the judge noted concerning hot button issues including the city’s persistent homicides, officer misconduct cases and the department’s plan going forward to address squeegee workers.
"We went to make sure we can prevent crimes and furtherance of squeegeeing and no necessarily the act of squeegeeing but certainly any other crimes carrying guns, committing damage, committing assaults committed thefts, those are things we want to enforce but we want to prevent that from happening in the very first place," Harrison said.
