Police union warns of pay gap, Lake Havasu staff propose citywide positional analysis

At the May 16 budget work session and public hearing, Michael Fuller, president of the Lake Havasu Police Officers Association, told the council the department is struggling to recruit and retain officers and said pay is below market. Fuller said the department currently has 10 vacancies and that long‑standing personnel practices are contributing to pay disparities.

Fuller told the council that some officers who performed the same duties are paid thousands of dollars a year less because a senior police officer pay band was suspended after the economic downturn. He said the gap has persisted for about a decade; in the public comment Fuller said the gap equates to roughly $6,407 per year for an affected officer and close to $60,000 over ten years for those who have been denied placement in the senior band. Fuller also said the department may be 15–18% below market on pay averages.

Why it matters: councilmembers and staff said compensation and pay‑band structure affect recruitment and retention; staff recommended a citywide positional and compensation analysis to create an equitable pay structure and to help the city compete for candidates.

City staff and the police chief described the senior officer band as a historical pay‑structure element created in the 1990s that was frozen during the recession and remained frozen through subsequent budget constraints and the city’s expenditure limitation. The police chief said many of the vehicles and equipment in use are older, and that the department has officers effectively “stuck” in a lower pay band because the higher band has not been re‑opened. Council discussion focused on whether isolated changes should be made now or whether the city should complete a comprehensive, citywide positional analysis to address multiple departments' pay and classification issues.

City management told council the city intends to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for a positional/compensation study once the FY 2019–20 budget is adopted; staff characterized the study as a citywide effort that would examine police, fire, public works and other departments and return recommendations for compensation structure changes. Staff and the chief stressed the citywide study is intended to produce an equitable, competitive pay structure rather than piecemeal adjustments for single positions.

Ending: No formal council action was taken at the work session; staff indicated the RFP and positional analysis work would move forward after budget adoption so council can consider any resulting recommendations in subsequent budget cycles.