Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced her plans Thursday to help recruit and retain experienced police officers by offering new hires a $15,000 bonus.

Durkan, who sent her proposed legislation to the City Council, said in a press release that the bonus would also help officers with relocation expenses and would increase the number of officers from communities historically underrepresented in policing.

"We have a responsibility to ensure we can hire and retain the best police officers in the country while continuing the important work of reform," Durkan said. "Our officers have already shown they can meet the challenge of delivering on reform, and we need to support them."

The legislation could make the Seattle Police Department more competitive with others in the region that offer competitive benefits. The Renton Police Department, for example, offers a $10,000 hiring incentive, plus 40 hours of sick leave and 40 hours of vacation leave, according to Durkan's press release. The Everett Police Department provides a $15,000 hiring bonus, while a handful of other law enforcement jurisdictions in the Puget Sound offer a $5,000 hiring incentive.

Durkan's office noted that the Seattle Police Department has seen a 67 percent drop in applications from experienced officers since 2015.

In addition to the department's lack of hiring incentives, it has also struggled with recruitment because it's been working without a contract since 2014, and officers have been earning 2014 wages since then.