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La Verne council authorizes updated police recruitment incentives, sets caps after debate
Summary
Facing officer vacancies and overtime pressures, the council authorized the city manager and police chief to revise AR 207 to raise lateral‑hire incentives and employee referral bonuses and directed maximum caps for implementation (lateral hire max $20,000; employee referral max $10,000) and to open the program citywide.
The La Verne City Council on Sept. 3 authorized city staff to update the administrative regulation governing recruitment incentives for lateral police officers and employee referrals, after an extended presentation and public comment.
Police Chief Sam Gonzalez told the council the department is budgeted for 45 sworn officers and currently is operating with multiple vacancies and officers out on FMLA or injured‑on‑duty. He said vacancies and absences increased overtime burdens and described lateral hires as a faster, lower‑training‑cost way to restore staffing. The chief proposed revisions to Administrative Regulation AR 207 that would add a two‑part payout for lateral hires and increase incentive amounts; staff initially described modest increases but council discussion explored higher figures.
Councilmembers and residents expressed strong support for measures to reduce overtime and improve officer wellness, while also asking for fiscal guardrails. After discussion about program scope and fiscal impact, the council provided direction to the city manager and police chief to revise AR 207 with the following caps: a maximum lateral‑hire incentive of $20,000 and a maximum employee‑referral incentive of $10,000. Council also directed that the referral program could be opened to all city employees rather than limiting it strictly to police‑department staff and asked finance staff to review the fiscal impacts and report back.
Public commenters who had completed the department’s Citizens Academy and other residents supported the recruitment effort and stressed the connection between adequate staffing and community safety. City staff said incentives would be funded by vacancy savings and potential overtime reductions and that the program was intended as a temporary tool until staffing reaches budgeted levels.
The council approved the motion authorizing the city manager and police chief to update AR 207 and implement the recruitment incentive program under the direction given by the council; staff will return with implementation details and fiscal analysis.
