Area law enforcement starting hourly wages (with no experience)
Lebanon: $26.39
Oxford: $26.31
West Chester Twp.: $26.11
Springboro: $25.65
Warren County Sheriff: $25.54
Middletown: $24.03
Fairfield: $23.82
Miami University Police: $23.65
Butler County Sheriff: $23.10
Fairfield Twp.: $22.28
Hamilton: $22.25
Franklin: $22.04
Trenton: $21.31
State Wildlife Officer: $21.12
Monroe: $20.05
State Park/Watercraft Officers: $19.38
Carlisle: $19.28*
Ohio Highway Patrol: $18.66
Germantown: $16.91
Oxford Twp.: $16.50
Ross Twp.: $16.50 (all officers are part-time)
MetroParks of Butler County: $16.35 (all officers are part-time)
*Pending negotiations with the Fraternal Order of Police union.
Note: These amounts are the pay range starting point and amounts may be higher depending on experience, etc. The amounts excludes benefits.
SOURCE: Area law enforcement agencies
Officers working at one of the area’s lowest paid police departments could see a bump in pay once a new arrangement between the village of Carlisle and its police union is negotiated.
Village Council on Tuesday approved a motion for a 20 percent increase in police starting pay — moving that pay from the current $16.07 an hour to $19.28 an hour, which just below the average starting pay for a police officer in the area of $21.22 an hour. Those currently on the force would also get a 20 percent raise.
Carlisle police had the second lowest starting wage of law enforcement agencies in the area.
The village will fund the pay adjustment through a reduction in the number of authorized sworn patrol officers, which will go from seven to six. Two officers have left in the past three months for jobs at other departments with better pay. The village will not replace one of those two positions to cover the cost of the pay increase.
Village Manager Sherry Callahan will negotiate the pay adjustment with the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents Carlisle officers.
The village has been struggling to cover the costs of police services as voters have rejected to ballot requests to increase the village's income tax.
The village council agreed to keep the part-time sergeant who works limited hours and is not part of the union. In addition to the police chief who answers calls during the day shift, there are currently five officers — one of whom is on medical leave.
While council approved the increase in police starting pay, they tabled a proposal for a 7 percent increase to improve non-police wages until a future date.
In the past few weeks, many concerned residents have questioned council members about the reduction of police positions.
Before council approved the police pay increase, resident Chet Miles, who supported the proposal, asked, “why do we have to be a stepping stone” for other area police departments.
“Someone is going to get critically hurt, then everyone is going to come in here screaming (for something to be done,” Miles said. “I don’t blame council because you did what you could do with the cards dealt to you.”
Miles suggested council consider placing another tax request on the ballot to raise more revenues for police services.
Deputy Mayor James Lickliter asked Miles if other residents that he knows understood what council was trying to do, to which Miles said, “yes.”
Councilman Brad McIntosh said it was a quality of service matter, adding that the proposal was better than having more lower paid officers.
“Our officers face the same things other officers (in other communities) and they deserve to be compensated accordingly,” he said.
McIntosh said he would like to see the village have at least eight officers.
“This is temporary until we can get additional revenues,” he said. “We have to stop the bleeding and get service back to what it should be.”
Councilman Jonathan McEldowney reminded council that police officers are always under a higher degree of scrutiny and that they needed to be valued and supported.
“My hope is to have eight officers with two on the streets at all times,” Mayor Randy Winkler said. “I don’t feel it’s safe to have one on the street.”
When a Carlisle officer is busy, the village receives mutual aid from Miami Twp., Franklin police officers and Warren County Sheriff’s deputies.
About the Author
