A previously announced plan to increase the salaries for hundreds of DeKalb County police officers and provide new incentives for hiring and retention will take effect in just four days.
Channel 2 Action News reported last week that DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochrane-Johnson wanted to give officers big raises, plus stipends to make it easier to afford living in their communities, with a goal of making DeKalb County have some of the highest salaries for officers in the metro Atlanta area.
To do so, county officials said they would be moving funds from different parts of the county budget to invest $10.43 million into the effort.
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Now, the county says the plan has been delivered, and less than 60 days into the new CEO’s term in office as well.
“Effective March 1, 2025, sworn officers and recruits will receive substantial salary increases, fulfilling a key promise from her campaign and reinforcing her administration’s dedication to those who protect and serve DeKalb County,” officials said.
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The following salary adjustments will begin Saturday, according to the county:
- Police Recruits: Base salary increased to $61,000 ($64,050 with a degree)
- Police Officers: Base salary increased to $62,525 ($65,651 with a degree)
- Police Officer Senior: New base salary of $70,000 ($73,500 with a degree)
- Master Police Officers, Helicopter Pilots, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors will receive a 7.1% salary increase
Additionally, the pay increase comes alongside other parts of a comprehensive strategy for recruitment, which includes a $500 monthly housing allowance for police, medical coverage and a non-violence initiative in partnership with DeKalb County.
“This pay increase is not just about numbers—it’s about valuing the men and women who put their lives on the line every day for DeKalb County. Investing in public safety is an investment in economic development, property values, and the well-being of our entire community My administration is committed to ensuring our officers have the support, resources, and respect they deserve,” Cochran-Johnson said in a statement. “Investing in public safety is an investment in economic development, property values, and the well-being of our entire community. My administration is committed to ensuring our officers have the support, resources, and respect they deserve.”
County officials said they are also paying for the creation of the DeKalb Police Foundation, and the development of a proposed $2 million real-time crime technology center and holding a recruiting event for the police department on March 8, starting at 9 a.m.
Through the new recruitment efforts, the county will work to fill the roughly 300 open police officer positions currently vacant at DKPD. In a recent update, the county said the DeKalb County Police Department has 841 funded sworn positions, and only 531 that are filled.
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