DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroit city officials say a high number of police officers have been leaving the department to work for law enforcement agencies in the suburbs.
The city of Detroit will now pay a $2,000 bonus to every sworn police officer and a $1,000 bonus to police assistants.
"It's my hope that this incentive program that is being implemented will curb the alarming number of officers that are leaving," Detroit Police Chief James White said during a press conference Tuesday alongside other city officials.
City council voted unanimously to approve the $5 million that is coming from the American Rescue Plan and the general fund.
"We did this because it was the right thing to do," Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said.
Duggan also criticized other police agencies who take DPD's well-trained officers after the city has paid for their training.
"I don't think what is happening is right," Duggan said. "The great majority of police departments hire people who have already graduated from an academy class. They may well have had to pay their own tuition to graduate from that class. In the city of Detroit, we pay those academy classes. And so, to have other cities come in after the city of Detroit has paid the expense of the training and then take them out, I don't think is right."
In 2021, the Detroit Police Department lost 103 officers to other departments. This year, the police department has already lost 19.
White said the majority of the officers who have left DPD have gone to the Warren Police Department and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer said every law enforcement agency is short officers.
Dwyer said he doesn't target Detroit police officers and looks all over the region and country for new hires.
Last year, Warren hired 30 new officers from the Detroit, Redford and Royal Oak police departments along with the Macomb and Oakland county sheriff's offices.
Two of the new hires are military veterans that were put through the police academy by the city of Warren.
Dwyer said the Warren Police Department is able to attract officers because of a number of things including benefits and salary.
