On the recommendation of Mayor Rainwater and Police Chief Boven, the Wilmore City Council voted to increase the salaries of our police officers.
Entry level, which was $17,000 has been increased to $18,000 with an increase of $2,000 after completion of training or at the end of six months, whichever is later. An additional increase of $1080 at the end of the first year is scheduled.
All officers are required to complete the Department of Criminal Justice Training, a 16-week course at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond. During that time the officer is on Wilmore's payroll, so if the he or she leaves within three years, the officer must reimburse the City for the expense of that training.
An experienced officer hired who has completed the required training will begin
at a salary of $21,080. Other scheduled increases range from 5% for the Chief
to 20% for recently hired officers. The increases begin on January 1, 1999.
The officers agreed to forego the customary 5% salary increase for the fiscal
year 1999-2000.
In addition, the Council agreed to pass a resolution to change the police officers'
category in the state retirement system from non-hazardous to hazardous. This
means that the City's share of retirement pay will be approximately 18.85 %
instead of the current 8.22% and police officers will be able to retire after
20 years of service instead of 27 years.