Chief asks for higher starting salary for cops

March 06, 2001

Chief asks for higher starting salary for cops

By DAN KULIN

Hagerstown Police Chief Arthur Smith told the Mayor and City Council Tuesday that he wants higher starting salaries for city police officers to make the city more competitive with neighboring police agencies.

"We've fallen behind the competition," said Smith, who added that the city could either raise the starting salary or become less picky in its hiring process.

Entry level pay for city police officers is $25,354. Smith recommended increasing starting pay to $27,500 this July and then raising it to $30,000 in July 2002.

Information Smith presented Tuesday included a list of area police agencies and showed that their starting salaries are generally $2,000 to almost $5,000 higher than starting police salaries in Hagerstown.

The council did not take any action on Smith's request.

Last month there was some debate among council members about whether Smith should make his presentation in open or closed session.

At that time it was expected that Smith would be presenting a new pay scale.

Smith said Tuesday that a new pay scale would have to be negotiated with the police officers' union.

Smith has said pay scale revisions are needed to address current and potential problems with hiring and retention.

Last month, a majority of council members said they would support an increase in the starting salary for city police officers and a new pay scale to increase the pay for other officers.

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