Detroit Cops to get an immediate $10,000 Raise

[Lowell]

Money well spent IMO.

Detroit's police unions and the city have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement that would make salaries more competitive, hoping to stem the tide of officers flocking to departments in the suburbs offering higher pay.

Upon union ratification and City Council approval, the proposed five-year contract between the city, the Detroit Police Officers Association and the Detroit Police Lieutenants and Sergeants Association will provide an immediate $10,000 increase in salaries, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced Friday.

“We are finally able to offer a contract that gives our officers the kind of raises they deserve,” Duggan said of the $25 million proposal.

Starting salary for a police officer would jump from $43,000 a year to $53,000, Duggan said. Those with more than four years of experience would have their salaries increased from $60,000 a year to $73,000.

The salaries of detectives would increase by $11,000, sergeants would get an average boost of $10,000 and lieutenants would see an average raise of $11,000, according to the city.

Officers would then receive annual salary increases of 4% over the next four years.

https://freep-mi.newsmemory.com?publ...6f5e3e_134866d

[Jimaz]

... an immediate $10,000 increase in salaries....

That's a mighty large increase for a sudden raise. I'm not saying it's too much. I'm saying it probably should have been done earlier in smaller increments.

On the other hand, the economy has been so disrupted, maybe the need couldn't have been foreseen.

[Ray1936]

Means an increase in my pension, or about 40% of 10,000, or $4,000. No, I don't get 50% as some do. I opted years back to take the reduced pension to cover the wife in case of my death.

[jcole]

My dad made the error of not taking COLA on his pension and took the standard 3% raise per year. He thought the cost of living would never go above 2% a year so my mom suffered for it. She outlived him by over 30 yrs.

Means an increase in my pension, or about 40% of 10,000, or $4,000. No, I don't get 50% as some do. I opted years back to take the reduced pension to cover the wife in case of my death.

[Ray1936]

My dad made the error of not taking COLA on his pension and took the standard 3% raise per year. He thought the cost of living would never go above 2% a year so my mom suffered for it. She outlived him by over 30 yrs.

Life is full of decisions that have to be made. Trying to decide if you or your wife will live the longest is a turkey shoot at best. However, since I retired in 1984 -- nearly forty years ago -- I thank my blessings and let the fates be as they may.

p.s. I'm 85, wife is 84, and we're both going strong. Have to boogie out just now, she's hollering that she's ready for another casino trip.

[jcole]

Dad retired in 73 and died in 75, far too young at 62. Mom, who had been a stay at homemaker and never worked, relied on his foreshortened pension and no SS for another 36 yrs. Fortunately, she was fairly active and sane for about 25 of those years.

Life is full of decisions that have to be made. Trying to decide if you or your wife will live the longest is a turkey shoot at best. However, since I retired in 1984 -- nearly forty years ago -- I thank my blessings and let the fates be as they may.

p.s. I'm 85, wife is 84, and we're both going strong. Have to boogie out just now, she's hollering that she's ready for another casino trip.

[K-slice]

I'd read before that Detroit paid officers less than surrounding suburban forces. Hopefully this changes things. We should be paying the best in the area, you want good officers to take the risk they deserve the reward.

[Jimaz]

I'd read before that Detroit paid officers less than surrounding suburban forces....

Yes, that was cited as one of the reasons for this change. Suburbs were "poaching" officers from Detroit. {An odd word to use in this situation.}

So, hats off to those officers that held out. Your loyalty paid off.