Pay increase pitched to boost SC law enforcement presence; Local agencies weigh in - wpde.com

CONWAY, S.C. (WPDE) — This month, state lawmakers in Columbia will debate and push a funding package out that would mean significant pay bumps for law enforcement members across the state, but only at the state level.

The plans come after a thorough Department of Administration report that details the shortfalls in compensation.

“The data demonstrates that there is a crisis in law enforcement,” said Marsha Adams, director of the South Carolina Department of Administration.

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The study found the state’s entry-level law enforcement jobs pay about $40,000 per year. Adams says that is in significant contrast to the average private-sector worker, whose salary increased in December to about $56,900 per year.

We have more officers leaving employment before retirement,” Adams said. “Over 16% of law enforcement officers in this state are currently retirement eligible or will be in the next five years.

With that, the department has issued recommendations that made it through House Ways and Means Committee in late February. The proposed plan would cost $17.9 million annually and affects 2,376 Class One law enforcement positions, Adams said.

While it would bring a drastic change for departments like SLED and the Department of Public Safety, there is also a push to see that trickle down to local departments across the state. The new proposed starting salary for Class One law enforcement officers is $43,500. But there is the fear that those police officers and deputies at the local level will be left behind.

“Kudos to Governor McMaster and any of the legislators that are supporting a pay raise for state law enforcement. It’s time to make some serious choices or some hard choices. That is recognizing that law enforcement is not paid at a level that it should be paid here in South Carolina," said Georgetown County Sheriff Carter Weaver.

For the Sheriff, his deputies start out at $40,000 and that is a little less for Correctional Officers. It's competitive, but he says most of the time he loses officers to neighboring counties.

Sometime the sworn officers will leave here and go to Horry County or Charleston County for a few thousand dollars more," Weaver said.

Now add in the possibility that Highway Patrol and SLED salaries increase to $48,000 - $50,000.

“It’s always a concern. We just need to do a better job at everybody uses the word recruitment. I’m kind of tired of that word. The word now is attraction. We’re trying to attract people to the Sheriff’s Office in Georgetown," Weaver said.

It's a similar problem for those in Conway as well.

“They’re all facing the same stress that I am. Just trying to get, I would love more applicants put in than we have vacancies," said Conway Police Chief Dale Long.

Long says officers start out at roughly $37,500 in Conway. That comes with a slew of perks within the city that he estimates adds a five-figure value on top of the pay. He says the department is the largest it's even been, but has five active vacancies. That's where the importance of that $43,500 number comes in. He thinks that along with the study can aid in their push to make sure a competitive salary is offered in CPD.

“As they do studies, we get the benefit of the data that they find, to help, their same problem is our problem," Long said.

Weaver and his office are also beginning that process to prepare a funding request to the county council. Now with the state agreeing to pay officers more, he hopes county leaders are paying attention.

“I hope that council is paying attention to again what’s going on in Georgetown, what’s going on in neighboring counties, South Carolina and nationwide," Weaver said. “Making a stand on what’s important in Georgetown County, is it public safety? Or is it some other rabbit hole that they want to go down?”

source: https://wpde.com/news/local/south-carolina-lawmakers-pitch-pay-increase-to-boost-police-deputy-officer-presence-georgetown-other-agencies-weigh-in

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