$15K Bonus, Pay Increase, Focus On Wellness Credited For Attracting Recruits To FCPD

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis expects to see a record number of new recruits entering the county's Criminal Justice Academy in September.

"A few months ago, we put in our biggest police academy class since 2014, so we feel like we have some momentum and we're turning the corner in September," Davis told WUSA9 reporter Abby Llorico during an interview on Monday afternoon.

In April, the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy welcomed 56 candidates, making it the largest class the academy has seen in 10 years. In September, 59 recruits are entering the 85th session of the academy, according to FCPD.

"We're putting an academy class in just a little bit bigger than the one we just put in, so another record-breaking size," Davis said. "We're really proud of our recruiting efforts. Plus, we're having some success recruiting and attracting officers from other jurisdictions, not just in Virginia, but outside the Commonwealth as well."

Watch video of Chief Kevin Davis' interview on WUSA9.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a $15,000 hiring bonus for FCPD in 2022. The board extended the bonus in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which was passed in May.

"The hiring bonus certainly helps," Davis told WUSA9. "It's not the end all be all. I think young people who decide to do this job want to come to a place where they're valued, their health is valued, their wellness is valued."

Fairfax County Opens Public Safety Wellness Center In Fair Oaks

An example of this focus on wellness can be seen in the Public Safety Wellness Center, which Fairfax County opened in June. Located in a Fair Oaks office building, the center is the first of its kind in the area, offering a variety of counseling services to public safety employees from Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax.

The average police officer pay also increased between 10.44 percent and 15.44 percent in the FY 2024 budget, with a small number of officers receiving a pay increase of over 20 percent. The police department's starting salary also increased $56,000 to $65,000.

"If you're a college graduate, you're starting in Fairfax County right around $70,000 a year plus a $15,000 bonus," Davis said.