Continuing to use funds generated by the Levy Lid Lift, the Des Moines Police Department is in the process of filling the final 5 positions that had been lost to previous budget cuts. Along with a new recruitment drive, the Civil Service Oral Boards have been conducting interviews at a rapid pace to help facilitate this need. Recently the City Council approved the new police guild contract that makes officers pay very competitve with other cities across the Northwest. With almost all police departements looking to hire, this was a critical first step. Police Chief Roger Baker commented "with this new contract onboard, we are undertaking a massive drive to attract officers laterally to our city." Other incentives include a hiring bonus of $7,000 paid for lateral officers and relocation expenses reimbursed up to $8,000. Lateral officers starting pay range step from $50,388 to $58,320, depending on experience of the first year. Second year step increase range from $59,532 to $65,628 dependent on entry step. Sergeat, Bob Collins said "recrutiment brochures have been mailed and ads have been placed in various trade journals and magazines." It is antticpated that the 5 positions will be filled by years end.