Lamar Police Plan to Adjust Number of Employees, Alter Salary Structure

Lamar Police Chief Kyle Miller

Noting the employee turnover among Lamar Police Department officers, Chief Kyle Miller presented plans to the Lamar City Council, to reduce the department by two employees, a detective and a street officer. The move is being made to help distribute those salaries among current officers and to curb the number of officers who leave the department in search of higher wages.  Miller said this move will generally increase the pay scale by 10% across the board while remaining within the budget limits for the department.

“Some employees, especially young and single officers will only look as far as the salary and not take their benefits into consideration,” he explained. Chief Miller said the lure of a larger paycheck will tempt these officers into moving away once they’ve had several years’ experience with the Lamar department.

Miller is proposing an alteration to the salary structure which currently pays $16.54 per hour for a starting officer and rising to $17.25 in next year’s budget. He’s recommending a salary of $18.25 per hour for a replacement hire.  “I’ve had discussions with the sergeant’s staff and the department and they are okay with this development,” he told the council.  Miller said the reduction in staff will not decrease the amount of patrol officers on duty at any given time, nor will it increase the amount of overtime hours for the department.

By Russ Baldwin

Filed Under: City of LamarEconomyEmploymentFeaturedLaw Enforcement

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