Raises, schedule changes proposed for Jeffersonville police

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- Hiring and retaining officers has been an ongoing challenge for police departments across Kentuckiana.

That's why there's a new proposal on the table to help the city of Jeffersonville's police department attract and retain officers.

Under a proposed amendment to the collective bargaining agreement between the city and the police union, the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #100, newly hired officers would get a $6,000 bump in base pay.

It would also put in place an eight and-a-half hour workday, with five days on and four days off.

"This raise will go a long way in bringing the pay for our police officers in line with other departments in the area," Mayor Mike Moore said in a news release Thursday. "It will send a message that Jeffersonville is committed to compensating our officers for their work and sacrifice."

It's a proposal both officers, and the community members they're sworn to serve and protect, are getting behind.

"We have 100 employees, which have families, and they have interactions and sometimes, interactions come to work," said Paul Fetter.

Fetter, the general manager of the Clark County Auto Auction, said he believes it's important to have a strong police department.

"We also have about 2,000 regular customers that come through the building throughout a month, then we have about 400 new ones each week," he said. "So we have a lot of people in and out and we have cars moving."

That's why Fetter supports efforts to do whatever it takes to attract and retain officers in Jeffersonville.

"To do that, they have to have a pay scale that's competitive, a place where they can come, work, and make a living," he said.

Moore said the changes will help with recruitment and retention for the city's police department.

"I think this is going to be the difference of Jeffersonville finding the elite officers, and other cities dealing with the remainder," he said Friday.

Right now, starting pay for officers is a little more than $59,000 a year, but Moore wants to give officers a boost.

"Starting pay is a big part of it, going up to $66,000 ... that's over a $6,000 raise for an incoming police officer," he said.

The proposal would also give officers more time off.

"We currently do eight and-a-half hour shifts, now that will continue, it'll be five shifts on, four days off," Moore said.

Assistant Chief Lt. Col. Michael McVoy said Jeffersonville has struggled to hire officers, like many other departments in the nation.

"I will say that, in the last two to three years, like most agencies, it's been a struggle to hire people. It's been based off the pay, the workload," McVoy said.

He said officers often have to work overtime and second jobs to make ends meet, and believes the mayor's proposal would change that trend.

"That's not right. I think we would all agree with that," said McVoy. "And, you know, if you left it up to me, I'd pay each one of these guys and girls $100,000 a year plus."

The city council will consider the proposal at its meeting on Monday, May 20, at 6 p.m. If it passes, the new pay rate would begin this July.

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