Published on Thursday, March 23, 2006
in the Florida Times-Union

LEGISLATURE: Correct current pay compression

Pay compression is a situation state law enforcement has endured for over 10 years now.

It works like this: A starting state law enforcement officer (Florida Highway Patrol, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Department of Transportation, etc.) can expect a starting salary of around $32,000 a year.

Not too bad you say? No, not really.

Our starting salary is competitive with other agencies in the state. However, after 10 years of service, you can expect to make maybe $33,000 a year. That is pay compression.

There is no incentive for experienced officers to stay in state employment after the seventh to 10th year of employment.

State law enforcement is quickly becoming a training ground for other agencies in Florida and outside the state.

Florida ranks 48th in pay and benefits for its employees. Then, there's the cost of retirees' health insurance. That's over $800 a month on a retiree's pay.

State law enforcement, through its collective bargaining agent, IUPA-FL Local 6000, has sent the governor and Legislature a request for $38 million to correct this problem. That's less than 2 percent of the expected $2 billion surplus that's expected to come in this year.

I have been employed by FHP for 21 years now. I serve as the FHP board member for Local 6000.

I have seen many good men and women leave FHP and other agencies for higher-paying jobs with better benefits. A member of my own squad is leaving next month.

This loss of experience hurts those of us left to answer calls for service that are waiting and leaves little time for proactive enforcement. Ask any trooper in this state, especially in the North Florida area.

Let's make working for state law enforcement a career, not just a way to get training and experience before moving on.

Join those of us who are asking the governor and Legislature to really show they support state law enforcement.

NEIL MARIOTTI, St. Augustine