Scottsdale approves new pay scale, step system in effort to retain police officers

PHOENIX — Scottsdale recently approved a new pay scale and step system for police officers in an effort to be more competitive with other metro Phoenix departments.

The Scottsdale City Council approved the proposal, which called for increasing entry level pay to $66,768 and annual raises until the eighth year of service, during its Aug. 22 meeting.

“Having a competitive pay and benefits structure for sworn personnel will give the city an opportunity to retain these employees,” Scottsdale said in the proposal.

The new pay scale allows laterals to move into the step that matches their yrs of service at their prior agency.
Examples
Officer A: 2 yrs of service = start pay $35.39/hr $73,611/yr
Officer B: 5 yrs of service = start pay $40.97/hr $85,217/yr
Apply @ https://t.co/TuYLzRaEGi pic.twitter.com/zKd9IgXjno

— ScottsdalePD (@ScottsdalePD) September 1, 2022

The city said it has 30 officer vacancies and attributed that in part to other departments offering better pay and benefits.

The system goes into effect Sept. 11.

The city said that nearly half of its officers — 47% — that resigned in fiscal year 2021-22 had less than four years of service.

Entry-level officers will make $32.10 an hour, surpassing Tempe ($32.04) and moving closer to Phoenix ($34.99), which also recently upped police pay. The increase is $1.70 an hour.

Officers will earn a raise of $13.07 per hour by the end of the eighth year. Annual pay will top out at $93,954.

The new system will cost the city $3.5 million for the remainder of the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Funding will come from salary savings, managed overtime and reserves set aside in the general fund.

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