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Henderson council approves police pay adjustments to address 25% staffing shortfall
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 23-06 on March 13, 2023, approving police salary adjustments to aid hiring and retention after the chief reported the department is short 12 officers (about 25%). City Manager said increases will take effect first for non-exempt officers.
Henderson City Council voted unanimously on March 13 to approve Resolution 23-06, a police salary adjustment intended to improve hiring and retention at the Henderson Police Department.
Police Chief Marcus Barrow told council the department is currently short 12 officers, “which is roughly 25% of the agency,” and said that upcoming retirements will remove two tenured lieutenants by the end of September. He said shortages have forced captains and even the chief to cover patrol shifts and increase overtime costs.
Chief Barrow told council he had reviewed a regional salary map comparing pay across 25 agencies and said Henderson exceeds only Louisburg in his sample. City Manager Edward T. Blackmon said he would recommend salary changes and a citywide pay classification study during upcoming budget discussions. “If the resolution is approved, it will go into effect for non-exempt police officers after the action is taken and soon thereafter the positions such as chief, assistant chief and captain would also receive a comparable increase,” Blackmon said.
Councilmember Melissa Elliott moved approval of Resolution 23-06; Councilmember Ola Thorpe-Cooper seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The measure directs staff to implement the approved salary adjustments and consider a broader pay-classification study in budget planning.
The council’s action was part of a work-session discussion about recruitment and retention; the minutes note the measures are intended to help the department compete with neighboring agencies for officers.
