HBPD at full strength with new recruits
by Dan Blackburn
Higher pay and signing bonuses have attracted a new crop of Hermosa Beach police recruits, five of whom now have begun on-duty patrols with training officers.
The five are Luis Pineda, who graduated from the Golden West Police Academy: and Keaton Dadigan, Stephanie DeAndrade, Kevin Jones,and Ryan McBride who graduated from the Rio Hondo Police Academy.
The recruits bring the force up to its budgeted 38 officers. But the department is continuing to recruit in anticipation of several current officers retiring, Police Chief Paul LeBaron said this week.
When they have completed their HBPD training, they will work as police officers for the city, said Police Chief Paul LeBaron. “We have attracted 12 new police recruits since 2020,” he added. That was when the city council voted to substantially increase police officers’ pay. At the same time, a signing bonus program was established.
The bonus program pays up to $30,000 to entry-level and pre-service recruits, and up to $40,000 for lateral transfers of officers from different law enforcement departments. These amounts are paid in increments stretched over four years, the first on signing and subsequent payments periodically if an officer stays on the force.
Recruits earn $4,896 monthly while in the academy. Lateral transfer and pre-service officers are paid $6,528 to $7,557 monthly, depending on experience.
Pay for existing officers was raised by council vote in 2020 by 19 percent, stretched over three years. Additionally, officer retention bonuses of up to $7,500 were approved, as well as education incentives calling for payment of tuition, course fees and book purchase at California State University rates. ER