How to Get a raise at Douglasville Police Department

Cops like to be treated the same as anyone else. They like to be told the truth. They want open and honesty in the work place. They don’t want to be stabbed in the back. They want a command staff they can believe in.

They wanted to be loyal to their chief. These are the same officers (unless they have left) that went to council chambers to show that they supported him in July as he was about to be fired for insubordination. The chief had gone to the news media to show that he cared for the men and that he was doing all he could to get the officers pay increases. Officers attended the meeting and stood behind him and were instrumental in saving his job. He promised them all he would and could do all in his power to get them a raise.

Right now at Douglasville Police Department they no longer have that confidence. You see they found out otherwise… on August 24th, 2014. On that day they were betrayed by the very chief that they swore blind trust in that he would take care of them. That day he hired an officer with 3 years’ experience at another department at a higher rate of pay.

In police work there are house birds like parakeets who call an old IA man with information that you put back on the stack for another day. Then there are hawks who call with information that needs to be dealt with. Well, a hawk called me and told me there was a rumor about this officer and higher pay scheme.

I did the only right thing I filed an open records request for officers hired January 1, 2013 to September 1 2014. There were 16 officers hired. 15 of those officers were hired in at the regular rate of pay for a police officer. A few weeks later an officer was hired who had retired from a highly respect Highway Patrol department with 20 years of service. None of these officers received a higher rate of pay. Of the 15 officers 3 had already left the department.

The officer was hired from a nearby department and had 3 years of patrol duty. The chief went thru the approval process and asked to meet the officer’s current pay. The approval came through and the officer was started out making $2000 to $4000 per year depending upon witch open records you use.

Folks this just ain’t right. It does not pass the smell test. This officer is making more than officers who have been there since 2011. It is time for the officers to take this issue and all the others that they have to the Council. Citizens of the city of Douglasville it is high time you got actively involved with your community. Not only the police department but, with the council. They don’t have any idea what is going on. I reached out to the chief for a statement and I never heard from him.

Pay raises are not coming everyone knows it. It is apparent the command staff is not going to help them – well you can quit re-apply and that will get you a raise. Be sure you ask for the latest special or, better yet get an agent for negotiations it works.