To help fill vacancies within the Cape Coral Police Department, the city is proposing to pay up to $10,000 in signing bonuses to new police officers who hire on and then complete their probationary period.

The proposal to pay a $5,000 post-tax hiring bonus for new hires and an additional post-tax $5,000 upon completion of their probationary period will come before the Cape Coral City Council in the form of a resolution Wednesday.

“Presently, law enforcement agencies nationwide are struggling to fill vacant police officer positions due to a shortage of applications. The Cape Coral Police Department is also facing similar challenges filling vacant positions. We must ensure that the City is competitive in attracting qualified law enforcement personnel. A qualified, experienced, knowledgeable, and competent police force is vital for the safety and welfare of the City of Cape Coral,” the resolution summary states, adding it will allow the city to be more competitive with other agencies in the region.

“The Cape Coral Police Department has determined the need to implement a hiring bonus for newly hired Police Officers in keeping with other law enforcement agencies around the region. Our regional competitors for Police Officer candidates have raised starting pay, surpassed ours, and implemented recruitment and/or housing bonuses to attract applicants,” the summary states.

According to the CCPD’s recruiting website, first year officers can make $63,883 with the city’s additional holiday pay and night differential. listed as $1-$2 per hour, depending on experience.

“The City of Cape Coral also has the most lucrative retirement program in SW Florida,” the site states.