Mayor Q Drops 'Defund' Fight To Offer 911 Dispatchers $5K Bonus

Mayor Q might be turning over a new leaf as the new year approaches . . .

Or the Kansas City police recruiting crisis continues to make strange bedfellows.

Context that casual news-watchers will miss: The Mayor & Police leaders have been slap fighting for over a year for control of the budget and the department.

Here's what might be a hopeful new chapter . . .

Mayor Quinton Lucas attributed the shortage the city is facing to low pay, which he vowed to reverse for those willing to work as operators.

The mayor said he would also offer a $5,000 signing bonus to boost the number of 911 dispatchers, but the incentives don't stop there.

"In addition to the other incentives, better hours. So instead of just having to work mandatory overtime, which often happens… particularly if you have children that are very incompatible to being at home, making sure we're finding more flexible hours for folks," Lucas said.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas City mayor offering $5k signing bonus to combat 911 dispatcher shortage: 'Dire measures are needed'

The mayor of Missouri's biggest city is taking extra steps to incentivize residents to become 911 dispatchers as the city grapples with delayed police response times amid staffing shortages. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas joined "Fox & Friends" Thursday to discuss his concerns surrounding the dispatcher shortage and how he is working to reverse the trend.