Higher wages and bonuses may turn around recruiting and retention issues in the Fayetteville Police Department. The starting salary for officers who enter the Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy will be $41,500 beginning Jan. 3. When the recruits graduate and begin field training the salary goes up to $43,500. The current starting wage is $38,000. It used to be that potential officers weren’t paid during academy training. New recruits will also receive $4,000 bonuses if they make commitments to spend at least two years on the force.

City council was briefed on Dec. 2 by Police Chief Gina Hawkins and Captain Todd Joyce who oversees recruiting. Joyce told the council that of the 433 authorized positions for sworn officers, there are 57 vacancies. Joyce said last year’s COVID-19 pandemic created a significant setback, but that “2021 has been the most diverse year in our hiring.”

AXIOS has noted that interest in law enforcement careers is down. Applications for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department were down 26% during the first four months of 2021 compared to the same period last year. Fayetteville City Council members were generally supportive of the local agency.

“We’re doing the best with what we’ve got,” said Mayor Mitch Colvin.

While crime is down for the most part, homicides are up. According to police files, the record for annual murders was 33 in 1993. So far this year there have been 44 homicides.