Crime & Public Safety
Crime & Public Safety

Mayor Bottoms announces big pay hike for Atlanta police officers

Mayor Bottoms, along with her administration and police Chief Erica Shields, announced a pay increase that Shields says she hopes will help the department not only recruit but maintain quality officers, something she says has been a problem in the past.
By Stephen Deere
Oct 1, 2018

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced Monday that the city will increase police pay by 30 percent over the next three years.

“This is an unprecedented step to improving public safety in our city,” Bottoms said.

Starting in January, the city will add $10 million toward paying officers' salaries. The increase will provide some cops with roughly an additional $10,000 more a year. The city will provide two more $10 million increases in both its fiscal 2020 and 2021 budgets.

For years, the Atlanta Police Department has lagged behind other cities in police pay, leading to high resignation rates and difficulties in recruiting new officers, said Police Chief Erika Shields.

Bottoms’ plan to increase pay will effectively end those problems, Shields said.

About the Author

Stephen Deere covers Atlanta City Hall and Atlanta government.

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