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Longwood approves midyear pay increase for police to match regional market
Summary
The City Commission approved a 4.4% salary increase for Longwood police officers, effective March 30, 2025, to improve recruitment and retention amid rising salaries in neighboring agencies; the vote was 5-0.
The Longwood City Commission on Jan. 20 approved a midyear salary adjustment for the Longwood Police Department aimed at improving recruitment and retention. The commission voted 5-0 to increase police compensation funded by a midyear adjustment to the department’s personal-services budget.
Chief David Dowda told commissioners the request responds to “growing difficulty recruiting and retaining law enforcement officers” as neighboring agencies have raised pay. The chief asked for a 4.4% increase to the police department’s personal-services lines to raise starting pay and permit wage increases for current officers, with the changes effective March 30, 2025.
Deputy Mayor Brian Sackett made the motion to approve the adjustment and Commissioner Matt Morgan seconded. The clerk recorded a unanimous vote: Mayor Matthew McMillan, Deputy Mayor Brian Sackett, Commissioners Abby Shoemaker, Tony Boney and Matt Morgan voted yes.
Commissioners discussed incentives beyond base pay, including take-home vehicles, tuition reimbursement and other retention tools. Chief Dowda said the department offers take-home cars and tuition reimbursement and highlighted the continued competition for officers in Central Florida. Commissioners noted the adjustment was unplanned in the current budget but said the city’s fiscal reserves and prior conservative budgeting made the midyear change feasible.
Why it matters: Local police staffing affects response times, morale and public safety. Commissioners framed the pay increase as a preventative step to limit turnover and maintain operational readiness.
Next steps: The salary change will be implemented according to the city’s payroll process with an effective date of March 30, 2025. Staff will monitor recruitment and retention metrics and report back as needed.
