New Bedford offers $5,000 sign-on bonus for new police officers
NEW BEDFORD - New Bedford is offering $5,000 to anyone willing to join the police department. The incentive comes after the city announced a shortage of officers.
The New Bedford Police Department is down nearly 50 police officers. Desperate to fill open positions, the city is now promising a $5,000 sign-on bonus, but will it work?
"Have we lost officers to other departments? Yes. Have we lost officers to other professions? Yes," said New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira.
According to the New Bedford Police union, in 2023 11 officers have either retired or resigned and since 2017, 32 officers have left for other departments.
"Hiring is a very big challenge for policing," said former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis. He blames pay and danger, but the biggest deterrent, he says, is the job has an image problem.
"I've spoken to police chiefs and commissioners across the country. Clearly since the George Floyd incident there has been a reduction in interest in policing," Davis said.
We asked Davis if there's a solution.
"I think police have to be thinking outside the box both in compensation but how they find candidates," Davis said.
According to Davis, outside departments supporting low staffed cities is common, but not ideal. New Bedford needs its own officers and fast.
"It's a midsize city that has issues around crime and poverty so there's certainly a more significant need there," said Davis.
WBZ-TV did reach out to the police union and to the city to ask if they've received any new applications since announcing incentives - we did not immediately hear back.
