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Mesquite officers, families and supporters press council to remove pay‑parity from city charter; council took no immediate action
Summary
Members of the Mesquite Police Association and residents urged council to abolish pay parity with the fire department, arguing the police handle far more calls and face different risks; the group plans a public town hall and requested the council place the issue on a future agenda.
Several current and former Mesquite police officers, association representatives and residents used the council’s citizen‑forum time on May 20 to press elected officials to schedule consideration of removing pay parity between police and fire from the city charter.
Michelle McNary, who identified herself as a longtime resident and former teacher, urged council to "abolish pay parity with the city charter," saying parity—originally designed to address wage discrimination for identical jobs in the 1960s—now prevents competitive police pay. McNary cited department workload figures: "In 2024, the Mesquite Police Department answered 111,065 calls for service. The Mesquite Fire Department answered 22,676 calls," she said, and argued that police interactions and risks differ from the fire department.
Luke Kristofferson, vice president of the Mesquite Police Association, urged elected officials to put the subject on a council agenda rather than leaving the issue in informal discussions. "Put pay parity on the council agenda, stop hiding this issue behind closed doors, and stop kicking the can down the road," Kristofferson said, and he emphasized the strain on officers’ families and the association’s efforts to follow process before resorting to repeated public appeals.
Association member Bruce Sales invited the public to a town hall hosted by the Mesquite Police Association on May 22 at the association building, saying it would be an opportunity for community members to discuss the issue in detail. Several speakers highlighted officer retention and pay competition with neighboring cities as a driving concern.
Councilmembers did not vote or adopt any change during the meeting. Speakers asked for a formal agenda item; councilmembers acknowledged hearing the comments but gave no immediate commitment to schedule the item. The police association said it will continue outreach and dialogue with the council and community.
