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Richland approves lateral-hire incentives for police department
Summary
Council passed Resolution 2025-100 to formalize pay-step placement, vacation-crediting and a relocation allowance to recruit experienced police officers through lateral hiring.
Richland — The Richland City Council unanimously approved Resolution 2025-100 on July 1 to establish a lateral recruitment and incentive program for the Richland Police Department.
Chief Marty Pilcher outlined the police lateral definition as two years of continuous full-time commissioned or civilian law-enforcement experience at a city, county, state or federal agency. Pilcher said the department will place laterals at a pay step commensurate with prior years of service, credit 80 hours of vacation to a new officer on hire and begin vacation accrual at the level matching their years in law enforcement, and retain an existing relocation allowance of $5,000 for hires living at least 100 miles away.
“I am technically a lateral to this agency and so I cannot disparage that position in any way, shape, or form,” Pilcher said, noting laterals shorten training costs and can provide immediate leadership influence on patrol teams. He added the department conducts “very extensive” background investigations, using internal detectives to review records, internal-affairs history and community references to screen candidates.
Council members questioned background checks and educational trade-offs for experienced candidates. Council Member Leitzman asked how the department verifies internal-affairs or Brady-list concerns; Pilcher said detectives perform exhaustive backgrounds and the department will be critical in decision-making. Council Member Jones asked whether the department would relax educational requirements to hire experienced candidates; Pilcher said the department considers candidates holistically and weighs earned experience alongside other factors.
A motion to approve Resolution 2025-100 was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote with no opposition recorded in the transcript.
The resolution will be codified through an MOU between the city and the Richland Police Officers Guild; the transcript indicates some incentives (relocation) were already in practice and are being formalized. Specific dollar impacts beyond the $5,000 relocation allowance and exact wage-step differentials were not specified in the public discussion.
