ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) – A nearly 50-page study of the salaries of police officers working for the city of Alexandria shows that officials in the city are by and large underpaid and are leaving for more money. News Channel 5 received the poll independently. (The full study can be found at the bottom of this page.)
In early 2021, the city of Alexandria contacted Vermilion Analytics to conduct a salary study of their police and fire departments. This first article focuses on the results of the police study.
According to Vermilion Analytics, the pay schedules for both police and fire services have not been updated since 2009 and the planned incremental pay increases that were to take place “were never fully implemented”.
The study describes termination and vacancy rates within the police force.
“There have been 72 documented resignations since 2013, resulting in a loss of approximately 300 years of law enforcement experience. In February 2021, 35% of the rank of police officer and 21% of the rank of non-commissioned officer were vacant; Several officers have resigned since these numbers were calculated. “
But when staff leave the Alexandria Police Department, where do they go? A graph created by Vermilion Analytics from 2017 to 2021 shows the total number of employees leaving the department each year and the percentage of those employees who went to other law enforcement agencies.
Diagram: Employees after leaving the APD(Vermilion Analytics)
This proportion has risen steadily over the years. For example, in 2020, 22 employees left the department, including 15 to other law enforcement agencies. That is 68% of the departures. According to the study, most officers are leaving the Alexandria Police Department for financial reasons.
Currently, 35% of the police positions in Alexandria are vacant. But what is the effect if there are fewer officers in the department?
According to Vermilion Analytics, the Alexandria Police Department reports that all specialized units within the police force have been forced to shift their staff to patrol duties.
“The only unit that has been spared so far is the detective unit, and the detectives are expected to start their patrol work in the next few months. APD fears that it will not be able to successfully protect the city under these conditions and believes that an increase in compensation is needed to curb retention problems and attract new employees who will stay with the department for many years. “
Here’s what Mayor Jeff Hall had to say on Wednesday about the city’s covered areas.
“Acknowledge that we have covered all of our zones. Nothing was revealed. The community was no less secure. APD has done an excellent job and we look forward to quickly resolving our problems related to wage situations that could and will be better. “
Now let’s break down the salaries for the Alexandria police officers. Currently, the Alexandria Police Department’s base salary for one officer is $ 34,000 per year. This graph shows the base salary compared to other agencies across the state. Alexandria sits in the middle here, with basic officer salaries lower than places like Woodworth and Lafayette but higher than Pineville and Baton Rouge. It is important to note that the base salary does not mean that officials will actually earn that amount.
Diagram: Basic salary of police officers for the full sample(Vermilion Analytics)
This graph shows the average of the actual salaries paid by government officials across the state compared to the Alexandria Police Department. This drastically changes where Alexandria stands in terms of pay, dropping it at the bottom of the list, under Woodworth, Pineville, and even LSUA and Northwestern State campus police.
According to the study, police officers in Alexandria currently earn 16.8% less than other authorities in our region.
Graph: Average actual police officers’ salary for the full sample(Vermilion Analytics)
The study says that while Alexandria police officers start out with a similar base salary to their counterparts, they stay near that starting salary until they are promoted to corporal, which lasts for four years of service.
According to the study, competitors in the police force benefit from regular salary increases and performance bonuses that raise their salaries above those of the Alexandria police force.
“Alexandria’s current base salary is 4% below the overall market comparison and 2.5% below that of regional competitors. However, when you compare what the average young professional does in the state, the difference is significantly greater. “
According to the study, the base salary for a corporal in the Alexandria Police Department is $ 36,840. The base salary for a sergeant is $ 43,822. These salaries make the pay for these positions competitive in the local market.
It currently takes four years to become a corporal in the Alexandria Police Department and an average of 15 years to become a sergeant there. This is important because in 2020 the average tenure of an outgoing civil servant was 3.88 years. In 2019 it was 2.49 years. That means officers won’t stay in the department long enough to see a raise.
In conclusion, Vermilion Analytics recommended increasing pay for police officers by at least 2.5%, but ideally more to keep up with the average for other agencies across the state.
On Wednesday, we interviewed Mayor Jeff Hall live on the air, where he confirmed that the salary study was complete. Here’s an exchange when employees are underpaid.
Brooke Buford: “Tonight a lot of police and firefighters are watching and waiting for this study to find out if they are actually underpaid compared to other departments. Can you at least give us the CliffsNotes version to say yes, they are underpaid and need more money, or no, are they not? “
Mayor Hall: “I can say yes and no. Because this question is so broad. So it is a matter of looking at it, discussing it and making a decision. But remember that our communication and cooperation with the Alexandria Police Department goes well beyond salaries. They also have incentives which, according to the union contract, are up to the service we can address. And we had preliminary discussions about this before the study was published. So, for the time being, we are agreed on a number of things relating to the union negotiations. But I am not at liberty to discuss it as we do not yet have a contract. “
News Channel 5 reported the results of the fire department study on Monday.
Fully paid study:
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