The past couple of years have been rough for police officers.  We've seen thousands unfairly fired from their jobs because of refusal to take an unproven vaccine.  We've seen many take retirement — and even commit suicide — in the face of ongoing pressure from those who lived for nothing more than to "defund the police."  And we've seen thousands of dollars wiped away from their budget, leaving them with little to no resources for new gear and mental health treatment.  And don't even get me started on the vast increase in crime in some cities.

But we've finally got a glimmer of hope.  Not the big solution we were hoping for, but it's something.

The New York Times recently published a report discussing how some police departments are using new marketing — and rewards — in an effort to recruit new officers into the ranks.  Some are going all out with a "signing day"–style event, with their airfare and hotel stay covered, while others merely promise bonuses worth thousands of dollars if they stay on board.

As "extravagant" as this may be to some, it seems to be the only way to get officers anymore.  The past couple of years have changed conditions so much that many don't even see policing as a worthwhile job anymore.  That means that police departments had to change everything when it came to bringing in new officers, while also taking care of their older ones.  As Marcus Jones, the police chief for Montgomery County in Maryland, plainly put it, "the game has clearly changed."

It really did have to.  Chief Adrian Diaz of the Seattle Police Department recently spoke at a conference at the Police Executive Research Forum, explaining why that's the case.

"I need an officer that's literally going to be the community outreach officer, but also can respond to that active shooter."

He's absolutely right.  An officer needs to be prepared to keep the peace by any means but cannot forget who they are.  And with everything that's taken place over the past couple of years, that's become too much of a burden for some to bear.

So here we are, with officers receiving lavish bonuses from departments to sign on and lend a hand, and some even being given offers to move across several states to join their ranks.  They're being taken care of and offered something to help them stick around, even in the roughest of conditions.

And that's great and all, and really does help officers with being brought on board.  But I can't help but wonder...why wasn't this done sooner?

Why didn't New York offer an alternative plan to officers who didn't want to take the vaccine back in 2020 instead of cutting them loose?  Why didn't city governments work more closely with police departments to provide extra funds as needed, especially when it came to mental health?

I'm sure some of you will say that "defund the police" is to blame, and you'd be mostly right. But that's not really an excuse for the poor treatment of officers that we've seen, which has caused many to leave — or even kill themselves, like in Chicago.

This is a good initiative, but, for 2023, I'd like to see it taken to the next level.  Take care of the new officers who want to come on board for sure, but why not also offer something for those who have "toughed" it out over the past couple of years?  A "thank you" can go only so far, so why not a reward to show that they're truly appreciated?

I keep expressing the hope that the House and Senate will finally approve that "fund the police" bill in 2023 and give all our officers — old and new alike — the respect they deserve.  Otherwise, flash those immediate funds all you want, but if there's nothing there for the long term, they're just going to keep leaving in droves.

Michael Letts is the founder, president, and CEO of InVest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs.  He also has over 30 years of law enforcement experience under his belt, hence his pro-police stance for his brothers and sisters in blue.  Those interested in learning more about Letts can visit his official website.

Image: Tony Webster via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped).