Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers packed last night’s Charlotte city council meeting to demand a pay raise of 15 percent.
The Fraternal Order of Police, the organization that represents officers, says CMPD hired 114 officers last year but that 120 left the department. Officers are leaving to go to other cities in North Carolina with better pay, the group's representatives say.
A new officer for CMPD makes about $43,000 a year and can eventually earn up to $66,000. In addition to the pay raise, CMPD officers say they want better health care and the reinstatement of retiree insurance for those hired after 2009.Mayor Pro Tem Julie Eiselt said she’s open to the pay raise last night but first wants to hear from CMPD chief Kerr Putney on the best solutions for officer retention.
The council is expected to make a decision on the pay raise in the next couple of months.