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Portsmouth police officers are calling for backup in their yearly budget talks with the City Council. In a new ad campaign sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police, officers are appealing to city residents to help them push for more competitive salaries.
The officers have a strong case to make. Portsmouth, as The Pilot’s Matthew Bowers reported Monday, generally offers the lowest pay in the region.
The base salary for new officers is $32,983, or about $6,400 less than what their counterparts earn in Norfolk. Experienced officers in Portsmouth draw a maximum base of $54,420, about $4,000 less than Norfolk.
The gap, a longstanding problem in Portsmouth, creates serious recruitment and retention issues for the police department.
At the moment, there are 15 openings but only three recruits in training. And, as Bowers reported, the revolving door keeps spinning.
For example, Timothy Keough — a homicide detective with five years of experience in Portsmouth — left his job to become a patrol officer in Norfolk. Keough’s pay, $36,700, was less than starting officers earn in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk. In his new job, he’ll earn about $6,000 more than he did in Portsmouth.
There is reason for optimism in Portsmouth, however, and both the FOP and police officers should bear that in mind as they proceed with their campaign to win over the public’s support.
In recent years, the City Council has slowly but steadily delivered on its promise to boost teacher salaries.
The school division’s pay scale is now more competitive with the rest of the region, and schools are faring much better in retaining experienced, quality teachers.
Council members have pledged to focus on law enforcement salaries next, and in a sense, they put a down payment on that pledge this year. Police officers received a raise of 4 percent on average this year, slightly above the 3 percent average for most city employees.
Given today’s rough economy and a new report indicating a budget shortfall of as large as $13 million this year, the council may find itself challenged next spring to boost salaries as much as hoped.
But, as FOP leaders point out, the city’s overall economic health depends in part on the strength of its police department. The council — and city residents — can’t afford to postpone this promise.
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Police are A-OK
Having had teen aged sons who have on occasion had dealings with the Portsmouth Police, I have found them very competent, fair and understanding. That is remarkable considering all the situations they are faced with in Portsmouth. In my opinion they have a better relationship with the citizens than the law enforcment officers of some of the surrounding cities. Portsmouth police pay should at least be comparable to Chesapeake and Suffolk. Time to cut some dead weight out of City Hall to enable pay raises for those who actually work for the taxpayers benefit.
time to pay the piper
imagine a city without police officers or sheriffs deputies, hard to do, because that won't happen. none the less, it doesnt mean that they should be taken for granted. officers and deputies in portsmouth have been underpaid for as long as i can remember. enough is enough. stop paying 2million dollars for a circle that nobody seems to want, except city council, so that they can say that they left a mark on the city. unfortunately you are leaving a black eye on your only law enforcement. we all know what officers do, but what most people dont know is the sheriffs dept. saves the city close to a million dollars a year, with inmate labor, and they still cant get a raise comparable to our sister cities. city council, youre missing the main ingredients in producing a safe and secure city.
PAY UP!
I know several Portsmouth PD officers and they're doing a fantastic job. They deserve to be paid accordingly.
DON'T WAIT
Stop messing around and give them a raise and a good pay plan, which they deserve. This pay plan should level out the playing field, where junior officers do not make more than seasoned personnel and it should include increases for promotions and years on the street, in a addition to yearly cost of living increase that is based off the National Average. This is the right thing to do and City Council has seen the results of not acting on the promises they made concerning the pay issue within the Police Department.
Portsmouth Police
In my few encounters with Portsmouth Police they seem to be polite and courteous despite being underpaid ond overworked.
I have waved to them and spoken and most seem friendly. Contrary to Norfolk police, where I live, who, with a few exceptions, wont speak to you.
city of portsmouth do what is right
The city of Portsmouth needs to give the police a pay raise they are out here day in and day out working to get the streets of Portsmouth safe QUIT wasting money where we DONT need it like the hotel that Portsmouth does not need and all the other bull that is going on here in Portsmouth we need our POLICE dept GIVE THE POLICE DEPT THE MONEY