MILWAUKEE — The City of Milwaukee is offering a $10,000 bonus to experienced police officers who join the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD).
The initiative was announced Monday at the mayor's office, where Mayor Cavalier Johnson was joined by officials from the Common Council, MPD, and the Fire and Police Commission.
TMJ4 Lighthouse Reporter Ryan Jenkins spoke with residents in Milwaukee's Lindsay Park neighborhood about the proposal.
Isabella Rasaphoumy told Jenkins she doesn’t see enough officers on patrol in her neighborhood and hopes the initiative will change that.
RELATED LINKS:
-Read more of our Lighthouse coverage
"Cause then, you know, the police are there and people see them. They don’t want to do any crimes and things like that if the police are present," Rasaphoumy said.
For years, neighbors have noticed fewer officers patrolling unless responding to violent crimes.
"The only time you see the police is if you hear gunshots," said one neighbor who asked TMJ4 News not to share his identity. "Then you look out the window 10 to 15 minutes later and you’ll see the lights."
Jenkins heard similar concerns from others.
"Mainly when things happen, there’s no police. By the time they get there, it’s over, and it’s mainly ended up with an issue of a death or something else. So we really need the attention of police around in these areas," said Gary Williams, who was picking up his child from school.
Watch: MPD offers new sign-on bonus to experienced officers, neighbors react
The city’s new plan aims to address those concerns.
"Our plan is a $10,000 incentive offered to those officers to join us in Milwaukee, to join the Milwaukee Police Department," Mayor Johnson said.
With fewer people considering law enforcement careers, the city is targeting officers from other departments. Eligible officers must have at least one year of experience beyond the police academy and will be required to sign a four-year contract with MPD or repay the bonus.
"For years and for decades, other municipalities have poached, have borrowed, have taken law enforcement officers from Milwaukee. Now Milwaukee will have the opportunity to get officers back and increase our numbers," said Alderman Peter Burgelis, who is sponsoring the legislation.
Increasing the number of officers is critical as police departments nationwide struggle to hire.
This year, several MPD recruitment classes have yielded only dozens of new officers, while city leaders report hundreds leaving—some retiring and others moving to different departments.
City leaders hope the incentive will expand the applicant pool and help Milwaukee meet the requirements of Wisconsin’s 2023 Act 12, which mandates the city hire 1,725 officers over the next decade.
"With more police officers, we can better address public safety concerns, from violent crime to quality-of-life issues that matter to our residents," Burgelis said.
Residents are optimistic the effort will result in less crime and safer neighborhoods.
"Just police being in the area, being noticed, is what we really need," Williams said.
In Milwaukee, police officer salaries range from $63,500 to $84,744 per year, with new hires earning salaries based on their years of experience.
Anyone interested in the bonus program can contact Milwaukee’s Fire and Police Commission at 414-286-5000. Applications are due by Dec. 22, 2024. Visit JoinMKEPD.com/Laterals or text 414-519-6190 to apply.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
