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Police chief outlines lateral‑hire package; council approves advance leave and consent items
Summary
Police Chief Robert Thompson described a recruitment package that includes a multi‑year signing bonus paid in installments and a proposal to advance up to 40 vacation hours to newly hired lateral officers; the council approved the consent calendar including that provision.
Police Chief Robert Thompson told the council the proposed recruitment package packages multiple tools used by other jurisdictions, including an enhanced lateral signing bonus paid over the course of 2.5 years tied to performance milestones, rather than a single up‑front payment.
Describing the proposed leave advance, Thompson said the city would offer up to 40 hours of advanced vacation time to lateral hires and that the advance would not be a gift but would require justification to the city manager. “The proposal for you is for up to 40 hours of advance leave. It’s an advance. It’s not a gift. And it has to be justified to the city manager,” Thompson said.
Councilmembers discussed the measure and then approved the consent calendar, which included the leave‑advance policy as part of the recruitment package. Staff said the lateral position targets mid‑career candidates who may be transferring with time owed at their prior employer and that the pay‑out structure and milestones are intended to balance recruitment needs with fiscal stewardship.
Next steps: human resources and police will implement the policy and follow the manager’s approval process for any requested advances.
