Tuscaloosa Police Department offers retention bonus for new officers

By WVUA 23 News Student Reporter MJ Miller

Tuscaloosa Police Department has a $10,000 bonus for officers who stay with the department for the next two years. If officers decide to leave the force early, they will have to pay back the bonus.

This is an effort to combat a twofold issue for TPD. The first is recruiting officers to serve. The second is keeping officers on the force.

With places like UAPD offering high pay and signing bonuses, TPD is finding it hard to keep officers with the department.

The bonus is coming from a salary savings account the police force had already set up.

TPD Assistant Chief Steve Rice said the news about the bonuses was well received by officers and Tuscaloosa city leaders.