CINCINNATI — Within five years, every current Cincinnati police officer could be earning at least $100,000. That is, if city council approves new union contracts.
The pay increases have been agreed to in the city's tentative three-year contracts with the police and fire unions. The council will discuss the contracts, which could cost taxpayers as much as $66 million, next week.
For Cincinnati resident Jamar Silvers, the increases for first responders are a mixed bag.
"At the end of the day, they got to eat too ... and it's just a job that a lot of people don't want to do, but we have to do," Silvers said. "It's a tough job. At the same time, you realize some people might just be thinking about the money and not actually the service to the people."
According to the police union, CPD has about 935 officers. However, the department loses up to 60 officers a year.
"The city has got to do something to be able to recruit and retain the officers that it has," Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober told WCPO. "This contract just highlights the fact that the city is investing in public safety."
There are a lot of reasons officers leave. While some retire, others leave for better paying departments near Cincinnati. That's why leaders hope the tentative contracts pass council.
If approved, starting pay for officers will increase. Here's the breakdown:
Officers with less than five years of experience will see:
- 5% raises the first year of the contract,
- 4% the second year, and
- 3% the third year.
Officers with at least five years of experience will see:
- 7% raises the first year,
- 5% raises the second year, and
- 5% raises the third year.
That means starting pay will increase for CPD officers from $70,556 to about $81,300.
"Prior to this contract being negotiated, we were towards the middle to the bottom of the pack for agencies in Hamilton County," Kober said. "After this contract, we're going to be kind be flipping that to, you know, the higher top of the pack."
The Cincinnati Fire Department would also get a pay increase for firefighters. Under CFD's tentative contract, new recruits will make just under $50,000 base pay and after five years, that'll increase to about $90,000.
For outgoing firefighter union president Matt Alter it's a promising start.
"I do think that you know, under the tentative agreement that we reached with the city we were able to continue progress for the firefighters," Alter said.
Council members will first discuss the contracts Monday during their Budget and Finance Committee meeting.
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