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Item No. 26 UF?AT"#Tfflffl= TO: Mayor, Mayor Pro -Tem & City Council Rob Vine, Acting City Manager FROM: Richard Salter, Chief of Police SUBJECT: Repeal of Resolution 2023-013 authorizing the Police Department to Pay a Hiring Incentive of $10,000.00 to Newly Hired Paris Police Officers. DATE: October 14, 2024 BACKGROUND: Over the past several years the City of Paris has struggled with recruitment and retention of police officers. In an effort to incentivize recruitment of police officer applicants, the City passed Resolution No. 2023-013, implementing a $10,000.00 signing bonus for all applicants who successfully complete their academic and field training programs. The bonus is paid in three installments with the third disbursement made upon the successful completion of the Field Training Program. Because recruitment and retention of police officers is an ongoing nationwide struggle, combined with the fact that most regional law enforcement agencies offer competitive signing bonuses, the $10,000.00 bonus did not have the desired effect. STATUS OF ISSUE: In an effort to increase hiring and retention of police officers, the City Council approved, as a part of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget, an annual salary increase for entry level police officers from $56,000.00 to $70,000.00. On July 29, 2024, a Police Officer "Notice of Entrance Examination," was posted in accordance with Section 143.024 of the City of Paris Civil Service Commission Rules and Regulations. This exam is scheduled for 10-15-2024. The eligibility list of applicants generated from this exam will be in affect until exhausted. The applicants for this exam applied for employment under the City of Paris "Employment Opportunities" website announcement that includes the $10,000.00 hiring bonus. Therefore in order to maintain the integrity of the City's current published employment vacancy announcement, the City is obligated to honor the hiring bonus until the forthcoming eligibility list is exhausted. Due to this obligation, the recommended repeal of the $10,000.00 hiring bonus should take effect contemporaneous with the next Notice of Entrance Examination. BUDGET: There is a positive budgetary impact to the City of Paris. RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council repeal the $10,000.00 hiring incentive approved in Resolution No. 2023-013 at a time contemporaneous with the next Civil Service Notice of Entrance Examination and/or following the closing of the forthcoming eligibility list of applicants.