Durham police officers are due to receive pay increases after the Durham City Council’s unanimously approved the city’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The Durham Police Department has 137 vacancies as of Tuesday, which means the department is less than 75% staffed for sworn positions.
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“After we discuss and sell what our organization can offer, it comes down to dollars and cents just got more positive,” Durham police officer Martin Cooper said of new recruits.
Recruits who were making $43,445 per year will now receive a little more than $51,379. Officers who start at $47,938 per year will increase $54,817.
Cooper said the increased pay is just as important for retention as recruitment, decreasing the strain and increasing the morale at the department.
"Now, maybe they don't have to pick up a second job, and they can take the time that they would put into that second job and spend more with their families," Cooper said.
Filling those vacancies could have a domino effect in Durham, Cooper said.
Filling those vacancies could have a domino effect in Durham.
"The more officers you have, the more attention that we can give to the citizens of Durham,” Cooper said. “That means more 911 calls can be answered, that means more presence in the city can be there."
Here’s how the new pay structure compares to other police departments across the state. The starting pay is:
- Chapel Hill: $53,000
- Charlotte: $57,192
- Fuquay-Varina: $57,005.87
- Garner: $54,708
- Greensboro: $55,000
- Holly Springs: $53,248
- Wake Forest: $56,778