Latino Delegates held the Durham City Council accountable for promises to 400 of its leaders last year.
Mayor Pro Tem Mark-Anthony Middleton announced changes to the bonus incentive program on Sunday, July 10th, at a public action organized by the NC Congress of Latino Organizations
The new $2,000 bonus will encourage more bilingual people to become police officers, emergency workers, and other local government employees. The change will benefit all existing and future City staff.
The City Council approved $160,000 in this year’s budget, to cover incentive bonuses for their 103 full-time bilingual employees.
Directors of the Police, Community Safety, and Neighborhood Improvement Services were also held to account.
The Durham Police Chief promised to hire additional bilingual police officers. The Director of the Community Safety Department announced the City now has access to a multilingual line to assist its staff during unarmed crisis interventions. The Director of the Neighborhood Improvement Services Department was recognized for partnering with the Latino Congress in holding landlords accountable for substandard housing conditions.