CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The city manager revealed a budget proposal for the 2019 fiscal year to the Charlotte City Council Monday evening that included a minimum raise of $3,000 for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police officers.
That's around a minimum of 6.5 percent increase; officers wanted a 15 percent increase. However, those with a four-year college degree would earn more than $51,000, which would be right around a 16-percent jump.
In previous city council meetings, the brave men and women in blue have shown the faces behind all the talk about dollars and cents. Some told the city council CMPD and the city of Charlotte are not as enticing as other cities in North Carolina and the nation because of wage and benefits.
Over the weekend, a high demand for police put an exclamation mark on the issue. Officers were needed at three major events including the Wells Fargo Championship, Cinco De Mayo festivities and Kentucky Derby parties. CMPD is currently down about 150 officers.
“It just means the officers that are on the rolls right now, on the payroll right now, are working that much harder, and we have to do a lot more with less,” said Rob Tufano, a CMPD spokesman.
NBC Charlotte also learned details comparing CMPD salaries with other similar size departments. An internal CMPD report using Department of Justice data showed the starting salary for CMPD officers at $44,000. The average salary was $51,000 among the other police agencies, according to the report.
“Between the chief, the city manager and city council, they are talking about the vacancy rate, they are talking about improving salary for our current officers and our officers we are thinking about getting into the profession,” Tufano previously told NBC Charlotte.
The city budget proposal was only the first step. Next week, there will be a public hearing on the issue. A final vote is not expected until mid-June.