City Of Smyrna: Smyrna Police Department Increasing Officer Starting Pay

Press release from the City of Smyrna:

11/02/2021 9:50 AM

Implementing a pay study from the Carl Vinson Institute specific to the Police Department, the City of Smyrna is increasing officer starting pay

Smyrna Police Department Increasing Officer Starting Pay 

SMYRNA , GA (Tuesday, November 2, 2021) - Implementing a pay study from the Carl Vinson Institute specific to the Police Department, the City of Smyrna is increasing officer starting pay and addressing pay compression in Police Administration. 

The Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia was asked by City leadership to do a breakout study of the Police Department – within a larger city-wide study currently underway - and analyze where Smyrna ranks in respect to other jurisdictions. As part of this process, the study concentrated on Department of Community Affairs (DCA) submissions and contacted those organizations for updates to the pay amounts reported earlier this year. The Carl Vinson Institute also applied an aging factor to the amounts to get them more in line with where we are now. The analysis found that the CIty of Smyrna was lagging the market and was still one of the lowest paid even after the four percent grade adjustment made a few weeks ago. The study also confirmed pay compression within the Police Department. The Carl Vinson Institute has presented the City of Smyrna with a plan to address starting pay and compression based on these findings. 

There are 87 employees that were part of the police-specific study. Of the 87 employees, 35 will receive adjustments to the new grade minimums amounting to approximately $94,000. Of these same 87 employees, it was found that 66 need compression related adjustments of approximately $150,000, in total. The adjustments are recommended to be applied effective for the pay period beginning November 15, 2021. The adjustments will be funded by General Fund reserves. 

The actions specific to the Police Department are part of a larger classification and compensation study that Smyrna is currently conducting with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government. Receipt of the recommendations from the City-wide study, anticipated January 2022, will also be presented to Council for consideration. Due to the shortages currently facing the Police Department, City of Smyrna Administration, Finance, and Human Resources departments, put forth this recommendation to address the immediate need in the Smyrna Police Department. 

The full study, when completed, is anticipated to prompt further police-specific adjustments when it comes forward in January. This most recent Council action is a measure to put the City of Smyrna in a more competitive position immediately. 

This press release was produced by the City of Smyrna. The views expressed here are the author’s own.