Public Safety Pay Rates

Police officers, firefighters and certain other public safety positions have a separate compensation program, referred to as a Step Rate Plan.

An employee generally will hire in at Step 1 and move to successive steps on his/her anniversary date (after an annual performance review) until they've reached the top step. Once an employee reaches the top step, no further step progression increases will be available.

Step adjustments/Progression increases

Step adjustments: An increase in the employee base salary that is associated with an increase in the pay rate established for the assigned step.

Step progression increases: Assuming performance is satisfactory or above, an employee will receive an increase in his or her base salary associated with his or her progression to a higher step. The increase generally occurs at the time of their annual performance review.

Each Step Plan is reviewed annually to ensure the city's compensation for these positions remain competitive with the local market.

Police Department Step Rate Plans

(monthly gross salary)
Effective March 27, 2011

Most police officers hire in at Step 1. There are circumstances where officers are hired in above Step 1 to account for the related experience they bring to the city.

*Police officers become eligible to apply for promotion to sergeant after the completion of five consecutive years of service as a police officer. Such a fifth-year promotion would move the officer to the first step of the Sergeants Step Pay Plan. Similarly, an officer in his/her eighth step would move to the Sergeants' step number 3 upon promotion.

Fire Department Step Rate Plans

Effective March 27, 2011

*Includes regularly scheduled overtime for those that work 56 hour workweeks

Step Pay Example:
Officer Smith, a new police officer, is hired on March 1 and is compensated at the Step 1 monthly rate, which is $3,210. On the beginning pay period for April 1, the city elects to adjust all steps by 3 percent, which increases the Step 1 monthly rate to $3,306. Officer Smith receives this "step adjustment," effective the beginning pay period for April 1. On her hiring date anniversary, Officer Smith is automatically moved to Step 2, coinciding with the completion of her first year of service.

This example assumes that Officer Smith maintains a satisfactory performance review.

Officer Smith's monthly salary adjustments