CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are pushing for higher salaries but the city is struggling to provide officers the raise they want.
Council members spent hours on Wednesday discussing another option to consider.
City Manager Marcus Jones went back to the drawing board and came up with an alternative pay plan, which rewards officers at the lower end of the pay scale.
"By fattening the curve up to there, you create a great benefit for all the officers," Councilman Ed Driggs said.
Officers are paid based on what step they are in.
Step one is basically a rookie, and in both the original and alternate plan, those officers get a 12 percent hike.
In steps two through four, the original plan is for a 6.5 percent hike, and in the alternate plan, officers continue to get 12 percent.
Steps five through 12 is still a 6.5 percent raise for the original plan, and in the alternate one, it drifts from 9.5 to 7 percent.
The last step is 13 and is still a 6.5 percent raise in the original plan but only 4.5 in the alternative one.
Thirty-five percent of the force is comprised of mostly senior officers who are in that category, and some are not happy about the decrease.
"It's the 35 percent at step 13 that's causing the challenge,” Councilman Tariq Bokhari said. “Is there something we can do to re-balance?"
To bring those officers up to 6.5 percent, it would cost $500,000, and Jones has been instructed to see what he can do without raising taxes.
Controversial Councilwoman Lawanna Mayfield supported the pay raise, but also questioned how much money the city might be losing due to officers behaving badly.
"We don't talk about lawsuits or payouts that the city has because of officer conduct," Mayfield said.
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