FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The city of Fairbanks is offering a $5,000 signing bonus to police officers from other communities who make a lateral move to join the Fairbanks Police Department for three years.
Fairbanks Police Chief Randall Aragon told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner the department is in “crisis mode” in attracting new officers.
He says the department has lost its edge in recruiting and retaining officers because other Alaska police departments offer better salaries and benefits.
Patrol officer Ron Dupee, the president of the local Public Safety Employees Association, says the department has 48 authorized, sworn positions and that eight are not filled.
He said six more officers are expected to leave the department by the end of 2017 and two are seeking employment elsewhere.
Dupee said traffic patrols have been cut because of vacancies.
