Pay is the main reason DeKalb is losing police officers, but those who quit also want better benefits, safer jobs and shorter commutes, according to a county analysis of exit interviews.
Ninety-six officers left the DeKalb Police Department last year, with more than half of those surveyed saying they took jobs at other agencies.
DeKalb's elected leaders are considering a pay increase for police as a way to improve officer retention. The county's 2016 budget is scheduled for a vote in two weeks.
County figures show that most DeKalb police are already paid similarly to their peers in the metro Atlanta market, but entry-level officers are paid less.
Rookie officers in DeKalb receive salaries averaging $38,626, which is the lowest rate compared to departments in Atlanta and in Clayton, Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. The area’s average pay for entry-level officers is $40,930.
But DeKalb pays its more experienced officers better. Master Police Officers, who generally have five years of experience or more, make an average of $51,307 in DeKalb compared to $50,171 in the metro Atlanta area.
The county's analysis didn't include city police departments or MARTA, which pay higher salaries in some cases.
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