Officers unhappy
Union: $4M can help grow the ranks
Understaffed. Underappreciated. Underpaid. That was essentially the sentiment captured in a recent survey of Albuquerque police officers
Understaffed. Underappreciated. Underpaid.
That was essentially the sentiment captured in a recent survey of Albuquerque police officers, which the police union released on Thursday. Union leaders said the size of the Albuquerque Police Department is the most serious issue facing the city and City Hall should respond by funding programs, like longevity pay, to keep and attract more officers.
“This is an indication that even (police officers) are asking for assistance from city leaders,” said Shaun Willoughby, president of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association. “This is very important data and we hope city leaders pay attention to it.”
Rob Perry, the city’s chief administrative officer, said the city can’t afford what the union is requesting. He said police have received bonuses in each of the past two years and the mayor’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts in July, marked $165 million for the police department. His proposal included a 1.5 percent raise for officers. Officers received a 4.4 percent raise this year.
“In the allocation of scarce resources, i.e. taxpayer dollars, there has to be an allocation of funds in the most efficient way possible,” Perry said. “There’s a lot of other things the city has to pay for and there are limited funds.”
In the survey, 77 percent of responding officers said that they have “seriously considered” taking a job outside of Albuquerque police. The survey was sent to 650 officers and 329 responded, according to union officials.
Of the officers who responded, 35 percent said the city needs 1,300 officers. There were about 830 officers in a recent count, though the city is budgeted for 1,000.
Also, 53 percent of officers said the city could increase the number of officers it has by increasing pay and 27 percent said the city needs to address morale issues.
Willoughby said the morale issues have been caused by a variety of things, including increased scrutiny, an officer shortage and the fact that several officers are currently facing criminal charges for alleged crimes while on duty. Former officers Dominique Perez and Keith Sandy are charged in connection to the fatal shooting of James Boyd, and former officer Pablo Padilla was charged with battery and tampering with evidence after he kneed a law student in the groin during a traffic stop.
Willoughby said the police union is proposing several bonuses and programs that he said would grow the ranks, at a cost of about $4 million.
The union is asking for an additional $2.9 million in longevity pay for officers with six to 19 years of experience and $1 million for home ownership down payments and student loan forgiveness programs.
“Things are about to break and more officers are poised to walk out the door,” Willoughby said.
The mayor’s budget proposal for the 2017 fiscal year included $165 million for Albuquerque police, up from about $156 million the year before.
Most Albuquerque police officers make $28 an hour.