The department can talk all they want about a retention program to keep cops here. But we all know the city of San Diego doesn’t have the means (money) or the will power to put anything into action. This isn’t just about new cops leaving for better pay; this is about your seasoned, veteran officers with five or more years on, leaving to go to other departments to support him or herself and their families.
Mayor Jerry Sanders and Police Chief Lansdowne are to blame for the mass exodus of officers. The mayor is treating these officers like second class citizens and the police chief does nothing for morale to try to keep officers here.
This is what will happen: New recruits will come here to get trained, where the city of San Diego spends up to $120,000 per person, that person will turn around after his training and go to another agency that does pay more and have better benefits. So the city of San Diego is out $120,000 dollars and a trained cop, the city of San Diego just keeps shooting itself in the foot without seeing the whole big picture.
The mayor and police chief are lying about the figures on crime and officers that have left, the numbers are much higher. Just take a look at the murder rate in this city which has just exploded. At this rate, no citizen will be safe in the city and when you call a cop it will take two-plus hours for one to arrive, emergency or not. This is no fault of the officers, they are doing the best they can with the few resources and manpower they have left.