Baton Rouge, La. – October 12, 2022 – Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and Baton Rouge Police Chief Murphy Paul announced today a recruitment and retention pay incentive for non-post and post-certified new hires participating in the 2023 police academies. Incremental payments totaling $10,000 will be offered to non-post certified new hires and $15,000 to post-certified new hires who complete the 2023 police academy and maintain one-year employment. Funding for this pay incentive was approved by the Metropolitan Council utilizing American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“The purpose of this recruitment and retention incentive pay is to attract qualified new police officers and current post-certified officers to bolster our ranks at the Baton Rouge Police Department. This effort is in addition to the 13% across-the-board pay increase for all sworn officers, the pay increase for entry-level officers, and the continuous investment of over $44 million in public safety equipment since 2017,” said Mayor Broome. “This proposal will add even more resources to our public safety efforts.”

The pay incentive proposal is included in the 2023 pay plan being considered for adoption by the Metropolitan Council on December 13, 2023.  This announcement comes today so that the BRPD can begin strategizing recruiting efforts for the upcoming 2023 police academies.