SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A new deal between the City of San Diego and the Police Officers Association includes pay raises for San Diego Police Department officers.
Jared Wilson, president of the San Diego Police Officers Association, said the agreement will get officers' pay close to that of other agencies.
"So, what we're going to see here is a 10 percent raise over the next 13 months. That'll get us close to the middle of the pack in this county of San Diego,” Wilson said. “Unfortunately, we're still going to be in the bottom third in the state with like agencies, other big cities."
But Wilson told ABC 10News this new contract's going to help when it comes to recruiting and retention of officers.
"This will put us ahead of the sheriff's office. So, hopefully, we'll be able to recruit and retain more people who historically have gone to the sheriff's office in the last several years,” Wilson said.
He added, “Is it enough to keep people from leaving out of state due to housing prices and high gas prices? I'm not sure if that's going to be the case, unfortunately."
When it comes to the police union contract and others recently approved by the city, Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement, “The agreements we have reached with our City employees – along with the restoration of pensions for all City workers – reflect my commitment to building the best possible workforce for the people of this city. The agreements will help ensure the City of San Diego is a competitive and attractive employer, which in turn means we have sufficient staffing to deliver the emergency response times and higher service levels San Diegans expect and deserve.”
It may be a step in the right direction, as Wilson said, but he feels more needs to be done for officers.
"I think we're looking to get a five-year budget outlook and a five-year plan to restaff the police department. This is a problem that's been going on for a while,” Wilson said.
Wilson said the increases in contract will start with a five percent bump this July, and another five percent increase next July.
He also told ABC 10News there's increases to family health care benefits and student loan forgiveness at some point.
