FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - Fairbanks will offer $20,000 signing bonuses for police officers from other Alaska police departments to join the city’s force under a measure approved unanimously by the city council.
Councilors approved the measure to attract trained officers because the city’s police department has been understaffed for more than a year.
Officers who take advantage of the signing bonuses must commit to work three years for the city, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported (https://bit.ly/2rBXFxP ) on Tuesday.
Mayor Jim Matherly said the measure he proposed is the quickest way to attract more officers to Fairbanks and that it’s worth it to pay the bonuses because “a life is worth way more than $20,000.”
Fairbanks Police Chief Eric Jewkes says he hopes the bonus will help the department fill all of its vacant officer jobs.
Councilman Jerry Cleworth said he was concerned recruits might take the bonus and quit before they work three years as city officers.
But Fairbanks city Chief of Staff Mike Meeks said the ordinance allows officials to put liens on officers’ paychecks if they take the bonus and leave the department before the end of their commitment.
The program will last for a year and will then be reviewed for a vote on extending it under an amendment to the bonus plan proposed by Councilwoman Joy Huntington.
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