BALTIMORE — In an effort to recruit new officers and retain current employees, the Baltimore Police Department announced new bonuses Thursday and increased others.
A signing bonus of $5,000 will be offered to new hires. In the first year of their employment, new officers can receive a monthly housing allowance of $1,000 if they life inside the city limits.
An additional $5,000 will be awarded to personnel paying off student loans.
The department will provide a $5,000 incentive to current officers for every recruit they bring to the department who goes through the academy and becomes an officer. There is no cap on the referral bonus.
The previous amount was $1,000 for the first referral and $500 for each additional referral.
“This is about making a smart investment that should significantly enhance our efforts in attracting new recruits, while also incentivizing retention for our experienced officers. We want to reward our officers for their hard work in attracting new employees to join the Department,” said Commissioner Michael Harrison. “I am committed to improving working conditions, living conditions and the quality of life for all of our personnel and the residents of Baltimore. Together, we will show that the BPD is the Greatest Law Enforcement Agency in America.”
Under a new contract between the department and the Fraternal Order of Police, which took effect on July 1, all officers with more than 11 years of service will receive a 2% pay raise.
In 2023, all members will receive a 2% salary bump, and officers with more than 19 years of service will get an additional 1%.
The department is also offering members with an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or master’s degree an annual increase of $1,500, $3,000 or $4,500, respectively, each year, police said.
Salaries for new recruits was bumped up 10%, to $60,146.
Top brass have identified $8 million in the budget that can be cut to offset the cost of the new salary provisions, police said in October, when the new contract was announced.