Detroit Police low salary

**stasu1213** · September-17-14, 07:59 PM

I find it an insult the Detroit Police Officers that their wages had been cut where they are making only $11 to $13 an hour while Chief Craig make three times as much as well as the do nothing City Council. I had thought that Duggan would fight for the wages of officers.

**Hypestyles** · September-17-14, 08:22 PM

Well, the Chief's wage is set by the EM, and of course, the trend is to start them off now with lower-scale pay and likely a 401-K style retirement plan instead of a guaranteed pension. We'll see how this shakes out in the bankruptcy case.

**ABetterDetroit** · September-17-14, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I find it an insult the Detroit Police Officers that their wages had been cut where they are making only $11 to $13 an hour while Chief Craig make three times as much as well as the do nothing City Council. I had thought that Duggan would fight for the wages of officers.

Bankrupcy sucks and you just named a very good reason why it's in Detroits best interest to exit it quickly. A extra 100 million or so sent to the DPD is a game changer.

**Wesley Mouch** · September-17-14, 10:55 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I find it an insult the Detroit Police Officers that their wages had been cut where they are making only $11 to $13 an hour while Chief Craig make three times as much as well as the do nothing City Council. I had thought that Duggan would fight for the wages of officers.

A quick search on the web found that DPD officers with 4 years service make $43,000, or something around $19/hr. in wages, plus a decent benefits package. Not a bad job. And one that they can be proud of. DPDs webpage says they get medical, dental, and optical coverage, 20 vacation days. Should it be better. Yes. And I'm sure it will get better as the city gets back on its feet.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/Departments...iceCareer.aspx

I also think its entirely unfair of you to attack Duggan because he hasn't been able to get DPD pay up where I'm sure he'd like it to be. Fixing Detroit's a big job. And the officers I see on the street look happier today that I've seen in a long time. Not everything is about pay.

Right now DPD is a training farm for other police departments and a good way to get a chance a jobs in Homeland Security and other agencies. Lighten up.

**Ltdave** · September-18-14, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

...
Right now DPD is a training farm for other police departments ...

theyve been the farm club for MANY YEARS...

when i got out of the Air Force in 93 i was going to apply with my local PD but they wanted 3 years with either Detroit or Atlanta. i had already done 2+ with a department in oklahoma but that apparently was too tame for their requirements...

That Great Guy · September-18-14, 07:58 PM

Privatize DDOT. That would free up lots of money for more pay.

**davewindsor** · September-19-14, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I find it an insult the Detroit Police Officers that their wages had been cut where they are making only $11 to $13 an hour while Chief Craig make three times as much as well as the do nothing City Council. I had thought that Duggan would fight for the wages of officers.

Wow, that's low.

It's interesting how police union laws differ in Ontario and Michigan. Windsor City Council has been trying for years in the courts to freeze police salaries due to the sluggish local economy and because of binding arbitration the arbitrator keeps raising the salaries based on Toronto's pay scale regardless of Windsor's much lower real estate prices and cost of living. The base pay of a first class constable [[with 4 years of service) in Windsor is over $90,000 plus all the those benefits. Windsor Officers make as much as Toronto Officers and most police officers in Windsor with overtime are well over the $100,000 club. http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/wi...tration-ruling

**Wesley Mouch** · September-19-14, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by davewindsor

Wow, that's low.

It's interesting how police union laws differ in Ontario and Michigan. Windsor City Council has been trying for years in the courts to freeze police salaries due to the sluggish local economy and because of binding arbitration the arbitrator keeps raising the salaries based on Toronto's pay scale regardless of Windsor's much lower real estate prices and cost of living. The base pay of a first class constable [[with 4 years of service) in Windsor is over $90,000 plus all the those benefits. Windsor Officers make as much as Toronto Officers and most police officers in Windsor with overtime are well over the $100,000 club. http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/wi...tration-ruling

Canadian public sector is as absurdly high as Detroit's is low. The sustainability of the promises made to Ontario and Canadian public sector worked will be more and more in doubt as taxes to support those promises increase. There is something really broken about how we set compensation for public sector workers in the US and in Canada.

Leaving the pay issue, I've been pretty impressed by Windsor's Finest on a personal and professional level.

**ABetterDetroit** · September-19-14, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

Canadian public sector is as absurdly high as Detroit's is low. The sustainability of the promises made to Ontario and Canadian public sector worked will be more and more in doubt as taxes to support those promises increase. There is something really broken about how we set compensation for public sector workers in the US and in Canada.

Leaving the pay issue, I've been pretty impressed by Windsor's Finest on a personal and professional level.

You get what you pay for, almost always, unless of course you are dumb.

**Cliffy** · September-19-14, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

You get what you pay for, almost always, unless of course you are dumb.

Wesley wants everyone to make minimum wage and no benefits so we can give the savings to the billionaires.

**subsidized** · September-19-14, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I find it an insult the Detroit Police Officers that their wages had been cut where they are making only $11 to $13 an hour while Chief Craig make three times as much as well as the do nothing City Council. I had thought that Duggan would fight for the wages of officers.

Does Duggan even have any control over the DPD? Last I remember Orr was still in charge of the police.

**Smirnoff** · September-20-14, 07:56 AM

Let's not pick on just Detroit for police low wages.....take a look at other local cities & you will find $12-15/hr pay for starting officers. New tax mills are not being passed [[ex Chesterfield Twp), cities/townships are combining depts to leverage positions & save money.

**stasu1213** · September-20-14, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by subsidized

Does Duggan even have any control over the DPD? Last I remember Orr was still in charge of the police.

Duggan had influenced Orr in the past to demote the director of DDOT, the head of the DEGC George Jackson, and was given control of the water Dept temporarily. Duggan can pull Orr coattails on this

**Wesley Mouch** · September-20-14, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

You get what you pay for, almost always, unless of course you are dumb.

Count me as dumb. I would rather pay everyone decently than pay some more than what is decent.

**cjd** · September-20-14, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by Smirnoff

Let's not pick on just Detroit for police low wages.....take a look at other local cities & you will find $12-15/hr pay for starting officers. New tax mills are not being passed [[ex Chesterfield Twp), cities/townships are combining depts to leverage positions & save money.

Are they having any trouble filing the police positions? I don't recall that they are, but I could be wrong. That would imply that there are some other non-monetary benefits that people see in this job that make it worth it at a starting pay of $12-15. Maybe its the 20 days of leave. Maybe its the public service aspect. Maybe they don't like having to pick out clothes. Who cares.

Is it really a travesty if people want to work at that price, when we need the service, and there isn't a ton of money left over that could go to them but is otherwise being horded by someone else?

**mikeg19** · September-22-14, 06:46 AM

Originally Posted by cjd

Is it really a travesty if people want to work at that price, when we need the service, and there isn't a ton of money left over that could go to them but is otherwise being horded by someone else?

I think it's sad that someone who literally risks their life everyday gets paid less than a intern at Quicken Loans or a bartender [[with tips, of course).

I do certainly feel that there is a nobility in public service, especially the older I get. At 18, I had no conceivable thought of ever becoming a city clerk, police officer, firefighter, etc. I didn't become one of these things, but at the same time, I feel like I respect these people more than others because they made the choice to commit their lives and time to the betterment of their community while fully knowing they could go on to other professions and make more money.

Cops making $12 an hour in Detroit? Please. You'd have to pay me $100K a year to even think about doing that job. They are understaffed, underbudgeted, using outdated or insufficient equipment. To hope that my radio works on patrol or that my pistol is in working order or that my request for backup is received in time is just unacceptable.

To the men and women who fulfil this duty everyday, for $12 an hour no less, I applaud you, for you are far more brave then I.