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Police chief says 'we're in an officer's market' as three veterans depart; board discusses pay, bonuses and 'grow your own' options
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Summary
Police Chief Adams told the board three officers—10‑ and 12‑year veterans—have left recently and said aggressive outside offers, including a $15,000 lateral bonus in Gastonia, are drawing officers away; commissioners discussed higher base pay, signing bonuses, apprenticeship/grow‑your‑own programs and tuition reimbursement as possible responses.
Police Chief Adams told the Town of Cramerton Board of Commissioners on Dec. 10 that three officers have left in the past few months, including long‑tenured 10‑ and 12‑year officers, and that competing agencies are offering substantially higher pay.
"We’re in an officer’s market now," Chief Adams said, describing a shift in hiring where agencies are offering large signing bonuses and higher base pay to recruit laterals. He cited a roughly $15,000 lateral bonus offered by the City of Gastonia as an example of the competitive market.
Adams said retention has become a central concern because the pool of available recruits is limited and rookie classes are often hired before they finish training. He told the board that Cramerton’s department offers strong training, equipment and quality‑of‑life benefits but that salary increases are likely necessary to stop turnover.
Commissioners discussed a range of tools: Commissioner Kathy Ramsey proposed a $10,000 signing bonus paid over ten months as a short‑term measure; Commissioner Scott Kincaid urged prioritizing retention first and suggested apprenticeship and tuition reimbursement programs as long‑term strategies; Commissioner Dixie Abernathy asked whether raising base pay to match larger agencies would change recruitment preferences for more action‑oriented officers.
Chief Adams said long‑term salary increases are the more durable retention tool but acknowledged a signing bonus could help in the short term. He also described prior creative retention tools such as multi‑jurisdictional assignments and training incentives and said the department will return with more detailed proposals for the board’s budget discussions.
The board noted the police budget is roughly $2.1 million, with about 35% allocated to salaries, and asked Chief Adams to provide specific options and costs for salary adjustments and incentives during the next budget cycle.