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Romeo police chief warns officers and dispatchers are paid near poverty; board hears staffing risks
Summary
Romeo's police chief told trustees most officers and dispatchers are paid well below regional comparables, with dispatch starting wages near the federal poverty line; trustees pressed for benchmarking, staffing ratios and options to fund pay increases.
The Romeo police chief told trustees at a budget workshop that employee pay in the department is far below comparable agencies and described staffing and safety risks if compensation is not addressed.
Chief's testimony: The chief said most officers "have a second job" to make ends meet and that "the dispatch starting wage is right on the federal poverty line for a family of four." He told the board that, except for one employee the chief protected for privacy, every dispatcher and nearly every officer earn wages well under regional norms and that the department struggles to recruit and retain staff.
Context and numbers: Trustees were told the village has about 3,800 residents and 8 officers (9 if the chief is counted), producing a rough resident-to-officer ratio of about 475:1 (422:1 including the chief). The chief described a recent domestic-violence response handled alone by one officer while backup came from neighboring Washington Township, noting that single-officer shifts increase risk.
Board response and next steps: Trustees asked for clearer benchmarking and for the administration to produce officer-per-resident ratios and market comparables. Consultants and trustees agreed pay is only one part of a larger fiscal picture: raising wages will require additional recurring revenue or reallocation of the general fund. No action or formal vote occurred; trustees requested staff provide more detailed compensation data for upcoming budget sessions.
Ending: Administration and consultants said they will return with more detailed forecasts and comparisons during additional budget meetings before the board makes formal decisions or places measures before voters.
