Police chief urges pay increases to curb turnover; recruitment cost estimated at $78,400 per new officer

Police Chief Walt Femling presented the Police Department budget and argued for salary increases to address turnover and recruiting challenges, telling the Council that replacing an officer by hiring a recruit with no experience carries substantial costs.

Femling said the department faces retention challenges because other jurisdictions pay higher wages and have lower costs of living; he told the Council that “the cost of recruiting an officer with no experience is $78,400.” He explained that he has constrained other budget lines to free money for salaries, that training costs have been offset in part by grant funds, and that he expects about $85,000 in department fund balance that will likely remain unspent this year. Council members asked for more detail on officer levels and lateral hiring, and Council President Keith Saks reiterated a Council preference for lateral hires when practicable.

Femling framed the salary request as a retention and recruitment tool rather than a general expansion of spending; staff and Council will continue to balance recruitment needs with available budget resources.