DeKalb County CEO proposes 4 percent pay increase for public safety employees

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has recommended to the county Board of Commissioners a 4 percent pay hike for public safety employees, effective the first pay period in November 2018. The total value of the proposed compensation increase is $7.1 million.

“DeKalb County is committed to ensuring that our community is safe,” said Thurmond. “The county is taking a holistic approach to increase compensation for the men and women that play a critical role in protecting and serving DeKalb.” 

The increase will apply to approximately 2,100 employees including police officers, firefighters, E-911 employees, medical examiner investigators, County Marshal’s Office deputies, State Court probation officers, District Attorney investigators, Solicitor-General investigators, Sheriff’s deputies, animal services officers and DeKalb Emergency Management Agency employees.

The county’s investments in recruitment, retention and compensation have helped the county to overcome staffing challenges and relieve critical public safety shortages, officials said. The attrition rates in the police, fire rescue and E-911 departments have decreased. The E-911 department is fully staffed with 126 employees and staffing in police and fire rescue is the highest in several years. 

The proposal is also part of a series of significant public safety investments since 2017, including technology upgrades to the E-911 software system, new vehicles for police and rapid response vehicles for fire.

The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on the proposal at its Oct. 23 meeting.