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Police retention and stipend debate surfaces during Moab budget workshop; Citizens Police Academy announced
Summary
At the March 10 workshop, Moab's police chief defended an existing housing/retention stipend that totals roughly $120,000/year for sworn officers as critical to retaining trained staff; several councilors pushed for equitable compensation citywide. The chief also announced a Citizens Police Academy starting April 22.
During the March 10 budget workshop, Moab's police chief outlined the department's approach to retention and its use of a housing stipend (rebranded in discussion as a "line-of-duty" benefit). The chief said the stipend is paid to sworn officers and totals approximately $120,000 annually, noting that training and onboarding a single officer can cost roughly $150,000; retaining officers, the chief argued, reduces repeated hiring costs.
"One of the things with it...in us retaining who we have, we're saving money every year," the chief said, describing the stipend as part of broader retention efforts that helped the department recover from a low staffing period.
Several councilors supported continuing retention-focused compensation while urging greater equity across departments. Council members proposed alternatives: folding retention pay into regular salaries to avoid compounding benefit costs, spreading hiring bonuses over multiple years to reduce upfront payouts, or expanding similar supports to other departments with staffing challenges. Staff confirmed a current written policy governs the stipend and that any changes could be made through the employee manual or future policy updates.
In a community-engagement announcement tied to the department, the chief also said the Moab Police Department will offer a six-week Citizens Police Academy beginning April 22 (Wednesdays, 6–9 p.m., participants 18+ and subject to background checks). The program will include scenario training, a range day and an emergency-vehicle driving session; staff will provide applications and promote the program on social media.
No formal vote was taken on compensation policy at the meeting; councilors asked staff to consider options for making retention tools equitable across city departments and to return with policy recommendations if desired.
