Coconino supervisors back county manager pay plan to boost patrol entry wages; sheriff supports shift from incentives to higher starting pay

Coconino County supervisors on May 16 heard a joint presentation from the sheriff and county manager's office recommending adjustments to the sheriff’s office patrol pay plan to raise entry pay and reduce reliance on a multi-year incentive program.

County human resources and the sheriff’s office proposed increasing the recommended patrol entry salary from about $28.25 to about $31.42 (rounded) and making plan changes intended to attract recruits at the job posting stage. The county manager’s balanced budget includes a $600,000 general fund cost for the patrol pay plan adjustments. Sheriff Brett Axland and county staff said they prefer using that money to raise starting pay rather than continuing the previous incentive payout structure for new hires.

Why it matters: supervisors and county managers described recruitment and retention as the primary goal. Board members said…