Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Policing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ridgecrest council approves 17% pay increase for sworn police positions, changes staffing mix
Summary
The Ridgecrest City Council on Dec. 3 approved a resolution to raise sworn police pay roughly 17% across ranks, eliminate four sworn positions and add two community service officers; council voted 5–0. Staff said the change is intended to improve recruitment and will be funded largely from one-time savings and position eliminations.
The Ridgecrest City Council voted unanimously Dec. 3 to adopt a new salary schedule that raises pay for sworn police positions by about 17% across ranks and restructures staffing to add two community service officers (CSOs) while cutting four sworn positions.
City staff member Travis presented the proposal, saying the city has struggled to fill vacancies in the police department and that the package "will not be an impact to the city budget this year." He told the council the change was intended to reduce transports that pull sworn officers out of the city and to keep more officers available for patrol. "We are proposing a 17% pay increase across all sworn officer positions," Travis said during the presentation.
The staff report projected a fiscal hit of roughly $442,500 in FY26–27 and described funding sources the city plans to use: salary savings from current dual-management positions (including projected savings when a manager retires), reductions from eliminated positions and the reallocation of onetime capital-purchase savings. Travis said some savings are available this year because certain position eliminations and one-time purchases reduced operating costs this fiscal year.
The chief, who participated by phone, told the council the proposed CSO model should not reduce service and may improve it by allowing the department to use a transport van and free sworn officers from routine long-haul transports. "Not only will you likely not see a negative change in service, if the CSO model works, you'll actually see an increase in service," the chief said.
Council discussion focused on recruitment and historical budget constraints. Multiple councilmembers praised staff for restoring the city's fiscal stability and supported taking steps to make police salaries competitive with neighboring agencies. A councilmember noted the city is currently authorized for 33 sworn officers and two CSOs; staff said the plan would leave the city with 29 sworn positions and four CSOs if the change is implemented.
A motion to approve the resolution was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote with "5 ayes." Council thanked the finance team and the police department for putting the proposal together. Staff told the council they will review the CSO model and the sworn staffing levels again at budget time next year and present adjustments if needed.
The approved resolution was described on the agenda as Item 3, "a resolution of the Ridgecrest City Council approving a new salary schedule for sworn officer positions." The council provided no additional formal conditions attached to the approval at the Dec. 3 meeting.
What happens next: staff indicated the city will fund the immediate increase using identified operating savings and will revisit staffing and compensation for all city employees during the next budget cycle.
