Cleveland is taking drastic measures to improve its recent dismal police recruiting.

Driving the news: Mayor Justin Bibb announced Wednesday that to entice new officers, the city will increase police cadet pay from $16 per hour to $24 per hour, a wage equal to more than 80% of a starting patrol officer's salary.

State of play: Bibb and members of his law and finance teams met with Cleveland police and police union leadership in a safety summit Wednesday to discuss recruitment, retention and deployment.

• The recruitment strategies are part of a broader conversation around public safety solutions that Bibb has named the RISE Initiative — Raising Investment in Safety for Everyone.

Details: In addition to an increased wage, cadets will receive a signing bonus of $5,000 to be paid in three installments — $1,000 upon hiring, $1,000 upon completion of the police academy and $3,000 upon completion of a six-month probationary period.

• Cadets with a college degree or military service will be "fast tracked" after the academy, entering the ranks at a pay grade $3,700 above entry level.
• The city will also reimburse out-of-pocket costs for new hires who have taken and paid for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy through Tri-C, which costs $6,000 before fees.

What they're saying: "Everyone around this table shares the same concerns around safety in this city," Bibb said. "We have work ahead, but today is a positive milestone and shows material progress in addressing our recruitment...

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