Columbia lieutenants warn pay compression is driving down interest in promotion, ask council for targeted raises

A lieutenant speaking for the Columbia Police Lieutenants Association told the Columbia City Council at a Sept. 2 pre-council pre-meeting that pay compression—hourly sergeants earning large amounts of overtime that allow them to out-earn salaried lieutenants—is reducing interest in promotion and risks the department’s leadership pipeline.

The lieutenant, speaking on behalf of the Columbia Police Lieutenants Association, said the city offered a citywide raise of about 3.5% while the association sought a 5% immediate increase and described an “overnight fix” that would require a 17.5% adjustment to make it difficult for sergeants to out-earn lieutenants.

Nut graf: The association argued that the combination of unchanged pay scales and plentiful overtime for hourly supervisors has produced a situation in which subordinates can earn more than their supervisors, undermining promotion incentives. The council voted to move into a closed session to discuss labor negotiations under a Missouri statute after the presentation.

In the presentation the lieutenant said the association reformed in 2022 and negotiated a written collective bargaining agreement in 2023 but has seen limited progress since. The group reported 8 lieutenants and about 25 sergeants in the department. Citing…