EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett City Council approved various incentives to help the police department recruit more than two dozen officers in 2022.
The Everett Police Department (EPD) is hoping to hire at least 25 officers in the new year, using the newly approved $15,000 to $30,000 hiring incentives.
EPD saw higher-than-average officer turnover in 2021, like many local and regional law enforcement agencies. This means that the department must compete with a large number of other agencies for qualified officers.
“We are a mid-size department that is not so large that you become just a number but are yet still large enough to offer a variety of specialty unit assignments and opportunities for career growth,” said EPD Chief Dan Templeman. “I am pleased to see the city administration and city council’s support of public safety in Everett and their commitment to making Everett PD the agency of choice for new officers or experienced officers looking to make a change.”
An experienced officer’s starting salary at EPD is more than $100,000 with benefits and a retirement package. With the new incentives, those same experienced officers could receive a hiring bonus of $30,000, college incentive pay, $7,500 moving expense reimbursement and 80 hours of vacation time and 80 hours of sick leave.
Entry-level officers typically start at $78,000 per year with annual increases. At three years, an officer’s salary is $102,000, which doesn’t include overtime or educational incentives.
New hires at EPD usually start out in patrol and move to specialized units after their first year. These units include detective, SWAT, marine operations and youth services.