Little Rock, Arkansas – Members of the Little Rock City Board opposed raising the pay for the city’s entry-level police officers for the second time in two weeks.
As the city currently has a record-breaking 75 homicides for the year to date, conversations of salary increases are occurring.
Board member Dr. Dean Kumpuris suggested that members increase the starting pay for Little Rock police officers from $44,636.80 to $54,000 in light of the current high level of crime in the city.
“We have the hardest most dangerous city to work in,” Kumpuris said.
On the other hand, Mayor Frank Scott claimed that passing this would interfere with the negotiations he is currently engaged in with the Office of Executive Administration, which also aims to increase compensation for entry-level officials.
“We all are already supporting our officers,” the mayor said. “We are funding our officers.”
In order to give the mayor and the Office of Executive Administration time to finalize their negotiations, Kumpuris has delayed this item on the agenda until December 20.