EGF approves police bonus program

In an effort to help bolster the ranks of the East Grand Forks Police Department the city council last night (Tuesday) endorsed a plan to offer bonuses to newly hired officers.

The council approved an MOU with the police union that pays a new officer $2,500 dollars after a successful completion of a background check and another $2,500 after completion of field training.  A relocation bonus of $2,500 will also be offered if the candidate is moving to East Grand Forks from greater than 50 miles away.

East Grand Forks Mayor Steve Gander says he supports the program -but had concerns that there wasn’t a sunset clause in the agreement.  “If nothing has changed as we approach the end of 2023 put it back.  This really isn’t intended to be a forever kind of thing.  This is a unique kind of thing to a unique problem.  If we find out our officers are under paid we will pay them more.”

The program does not address another concern….retention.  The council is still looking at that issue.

The bonus pay will run through 2023.