Fountain Valley keeps perks for new police officers, dispatchers to fill vacancies

A pilot program in Fountain Valley that offered hiring bonuses to attract new police officers and dispatchers to the city was deemed so successful the City Council recently voted to make the incentives permanent.

The bonuses were implemented on Dec. 3, 2024. Since then, the department has welcomed 13 new recruits, two lateral dispatchers and one lateral officer, Fountain Valley Police Capt. Jarrod Frahm told the council during its June 16 meeting.

The program awards $10,000 to officers from other police departments transferring to Fountain Valley and $5,000 for lateral dispatchers, as well as 40 hours of paid compensation time. New recruits who sign on with the department are eligible for a $5,000 bonus upon completion of their new-hire probation period.

“It is a necessity to stay competitive,” Frahm said of the hiring bonuses. “Our direct neighbors and peer agencies, including Westminster, Buena Park and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, all utilize highly similar incentives ranging from $10,000 to $15,000.”

All together, the new employees have racked up about 200 hours of comp time and $76,000 in bonuses, $38,500 of which has been paid out to date. The cost of bonuses for current and future new hires can be covered by money saved in the police department’s budget due to vacancies, meaning the program will have no impact on the city’s general fund, according to city officials.

The department currently has 12 vacant police officer positions and three vacant dispatcher positions. If all of those were filled this year, the program would cost up to $165,000.

Several council members expressed enthusiasm for the pilot program from the dais before they unanimously approved the measure in a 5-0 vote.

“I actually don’t think it goes far enough, to be honest,” Councilmember Glenn Grandis said. “I think we have a critical need in this area.”