PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department is currently the highest-paid law enforcement organization in Arizona. A newly proposed contract between the City of Phoenix and the police union aims to keep it that way.
Public comment took place on Wednesday after weeks of backlash. Poder in Action was one of two organizations that sued the city for not meeting code requirements that allow residents to weigh in on contract proposals.
"We put out a restraining order because that public comment is an essential time for the people who will be most impacted by this contract, can voice our concerns, because the city is supposed to listen to us," said Shalae Flores from Poder in Action.
The proposed contract means base wages for officers would increase by 2.16%. The current starting salary for a police recruit is $68,661.
Councilmember Ann O'Brien says the negotiation with the union includes the traditional inflationary increase in pay.
"At a time when Phoenix is so low on sworn officers, these pay increases help to incentivize new recruits and existing officers from other jurisdictions to call Phoenix Police Department their home," said Councilmember O'Brien.
The city has budgeted for 3,125 officers but they are currently short more than 560 officers. The numbers have fluctuated over the years, but the department was at its highest in 2020, at 2,847.
"This city values more police; it's like the city's solution to all of our crisis is more police," says Flores.
This also comes at a time when the department is still under investigation by the Department of Justice over misconduct, excessive and deadly force, among other things. Poder in Action believes the funds for officers could be better used elsewhere.
"The housing department, mental health and substance use professionals - they're the ones providing direct services to the most at risk in our city. If we fund these departments, the need for police will diminish... because if we fund these departments we're preventing crisis," says Flores.
The city told ABC15 they were toward the bottom end for police compensation up until last June when the council voted to approve $20 million in wages for Phoenix officers.
"All other city departments were left behind and didn't receive this type of treatment," says Flores.
The proposed contract still needs final approval from the city council. They are set to vote on May 3rd.
