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Pay increases align with Comptroller Green’s call to action on public safety
The City of St. Louis has reached a landmark pay raise agreement with the St. Louis Police Officers Association that will give officers and sergeants their largest raises in at least two decades. The pay increase will also benefit St. Louis firefighters.
“Strengthening public safety in St. Louis is the most critical policy issue we must address to ensure the entire metro’s economic competitiveness,” said Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall. “Investing in increased pay for those on the front lines of keeping St. Louis safe is long-overdue and will help the City recruit and retain the law enforcement we need. We applaud Mayor Jones and leaders from her administration, Chief Tracy, the Police Officers Association, and the Ethical Society of Police for getting this done.”
St. Louis POA Business Manager Joe Steiger said several members of Mayor Tishaura Jones' administration, including newly appointed Chief Robert Tracy, newly appointed Personnel Director Sonya Jenkins-Gray, and Chief Operations Officer Nancy Cross, "put this over the finish line."
“It’s a meaningful raise,” Steiger added. “It closes the gap and it’s a step in the right direction.”
The plan also aligns with the call this past August by St. Louis City Comptroller Darlene Green for new steps to address public safety in St. Louis.
“Last August, Comptroller Green rightly raised the need to take new steps to address public safety in St. Louis, including addressing the compensation disparities and employing creative incentives to attract new public safety employees. We thank her for her leadership in bringing specific ideas forward and are pleased to see how today’s outcome reflected her call to action,” said Hall.
Full Statement from Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall
“Strengthening public safety in St. Louis is the most critical policy issue we must address to ensure the entire metro’s economic competitiveness,” said Greater St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall. “Investing in increased pay for those on the front lines of keeping St. Louis safe is long-overdue and will help the City recruit and retain the law enforcement we need. We applaud Mayor Jones and leaders from her administration, Chief Tracy, the Police Officers Association, and the Ethical Society of Police for getting this done.
“Today’s announcement also shows how Chief Tracy deserves the opportunity to lead the SLMPD and put in place the plans necessary to reduce violent crime in the City.
“Last August, Comptroller Green rightly raised the need to take new steps to address public safety in St. Louis, including addressing the compensation disparities and employing creative incentives to attract new public safety employees. We thank her for her leadership in bringing specific ideas forward and are pleased to see how today’s outcome reflected her call to action.”