DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Officers at the DeKalb County Police Department are likely to see higher salaries as the county works to recruit more personnel and increase recruitment.
According to county officials, DeKalb County will use a “strategic reallocation of existing resources” to fully fund a $10.43 million investment in the police department, all without raising taxes.
Doing so, the county will work to fill the roughly 300 open police officer positions currently vacant at DKPD.
“Public safety is a priority, and our budget should reflect that,” DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said in a statement. “This plan allows us to invest in our officers in a fiscally responsible way by making better use of existing resources. We are not raising taxes—we are simply ensuring our budget aligns with the needs of our community.”
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County officials said there are currently 841 funded sworn officer positions for DKPD, but only 531 are actually filled.
“Competing jurisdictions have attracted officers away with higher pay and better benefits, making it more difficult for DeKalb to fill vacancies. By offering more competitive compensation and incentives, this initiative aims to reverse that trend and position DeKalb as a leading destination for law enforcement careers,” the county said.
Additionally, the county will be undertaking a pension plan review, forming a new public safety task force focused on recruitment and retention and doing a comprehensive operational review to help modernize DKPD.
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With the planned investment, DeKalb County officials say they’ll be one of the highest paid departments in the Atlanta metro area.
“We are taking a responsible and proactive approach to ensure our community is protected,” Cochran-Johnson said. “By making better use of our current budget, we can improve public safety, enhance officer recruitment, and retain the dedicated professionals who serve DeKalb County—without passing any additional costs to taxpayers.”
Here’s a look at what the $10.43 million will pay for, according to county officials:
- 7.1% salary increase for Police Majors and Captains
- New hiring rates and incentives for Police Officers at all levels
- Total investment: $6.5 million
- Master Police Officer $75,000 minimum
- Senior Police Officer $70,000 minimum
- Police Officer and Police Recruit $61,000 hiring rate; with degree $64,050,000 hiring rate
- Holiday pay for sworn officers – $1.85 million annually
- Sick leave compensation program – $418,000 annually
- Housing allowance to assist officers living in DeKalb County – $804,000
- Annuity benefits for officers – $252,000
- Referral incentives – Up to $10,000 per certified officer recruited
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