Milwaukee mayor to highlight initiative to boost MPD recruiting numbers
MILWAUKEE - Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Monday, Nov. 25 will highlight a new Fire and Police Commission initiative that will boost the recruiting numbers for the Milwaukee Police Department.
According to a press release, the city is inviting current police officers from other jurisdictions with at least one year of experience to sign up to serve Milwaukee. Those who enroll to be police officers in the next few weeks could be eligible for a $10,000 bonus.
The bonus arrangement will be before the Common Council.
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Pressure mounts to recruit new hires for both police and fire departments due to a bipartisan law called Act 12.
According to Act 12, if the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee Fire Department do not maintain staffing levels year-over-year, they could lose 15 percent of their shared revenue funding from the state.
This comes as hundreds of police officers and firefighters have left the industry over the past decade. It's a trend affecting departments across the country. It's not clear why, but some agencies blame the pandemic and criticism of the police.