COs see raises, but not parole employees
By Russ Rizzo0
The Salt Lake Tribune
It’s a start.
That’s the approach a statewide police association is taking to pay raises announced by the Department of Corrections. The $3 million in raises boosts starting pay for Corrections officers $2.34 an hour beginning in July and provides new minimum salaries for officers of all ranks.
But the plan promises raises only every five years and leaves out Adult Probation and Parole agents completely.
“Our position is we hate it; we don’t like what’s being done,” said Kelly Atkinson, executive director of Utah’s chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. “But we give [Director Tom Patterson] credit that he’s willing to move to tackle this difficult issue and deal with it incrementally.”
Corrections officials decided to put money “where we’re bleeding the most” - namely, to attract officers to fill about 100 open positions at the Draper prison - and do their best to give raises to others, said Robyn Williams, deputy director of operations.
Many officers will see no pay raise because they already make more than the new minimum amounts. Veteran officers who get promoted stand to make heftier raises than those promoted before them, which will likely cause some friction among the ranks, officers said.
Williams said the raises come with “caveats” that would leave some officers out, but he declined to be specific. Officers who are left out still receive the state’s 5 percent cost-of-living increase.
Patterson originally requested $3 million to deal with the Draper officer shortage that is causing a fourth of the staff to work overtime on a regular basis. He told lawmakers during the session that $5.8 million would cover a more ideal plan, giving Corrections officers raises every three years.
The long-term fix including Adult Probation and Parole - which has about 60 vacancies - will cost about $16 million, Atkinson said. While officers and agents alike would like to see the big fix all at once, Atkinson said the $3 million plan is a promising sign.
“If it had been across all lines in DOC, it would have been an easier pill to swallow,” Atkinson said. “But if you dig your feet in and say, ‘You gotta fix it all rather than some of it once,’ then it’ll be another 20 years before anything gets done.”
Williams said the department plans to ask for money for AP&P agents and still hopes to offer raises every three years. She said there were no plans to boost salaries of administrators like herself.
But some officers left out of this year’s plan aren’t holding their breath.
“This is the first time in a long time we’ve gotten a lot of money [for raises], and I’m not going to get any of it,” said a seven-year veteran officer who spoke on the condition that his name not be used. “With all the economy issues, even the Legislature is saying the money might not be there. We can’t base our lives off of the future.” rrizzo@sltrib.com
Who’s getting raises?
Under the new pay plan, minimum salaries for Corrections officers of any rank increases and officers get a bump every five years. Adult Probation and Parole agents and administration officials are left out.
Copyright 2008 The Salt Lake Tribune