CAPE GIRARDEAU POLICE MAKE ANOTHER PITCH FOR IMPROVED SALARIES

The rank-and-file members of the Cape Girardeau Police Department realize that their's often is a thankless job.

Most residents rarely give a thought to the police, unless there is a problem -- they become victims of a crime or are involved in an accident, for example.

Yet each time he drives down a fractured street or by a dilapidated, abandoned building, John Q. Public says, "The city ought to do something."

As a result, public works and capital improvements are given priority in the city's budget.

But police officers want more attention paid to their department.

Last year the rank-and-file officers asked for a 10 percent, across-the-board pay raise. Their complaint was that the officers were among the lowest paid in cities of comparable size across the state.

Starting pay in the department is $19,380. End pay for patrolmen is $26,441.

The 10 percent raise would have put their pay on par with Jefferson City officers, also among the lowest paid in small Missouri cities. Jefferson City officers start out at $21,330. Their end pay as patrolmen is $32,000.

While the Cape Girardeau officers' request last year fell on deaf ears at city hall, Jefferson City gave its officers a 2 percent raise.

Thus Cape Girardeau officers this year are asking for a 12 percent across-the-board raise.

Members of the local Fraternal Order of Police now are meeting with the city administration to make their case not only for better pay but for more officers and equipment upgrades.

Cpl. Barry Hovis, a spokesman for the FOP, says low pay and long hours foster a high turnover rate of officers within the department.

As a result, more than 30 percent of Cape Girardeau police officers have been on the force less than two years, and 13 percent now are in training.

"It takes about two years for an officer to become productive, in the sense that he doesn't need to call for backup in most instances," Hovis said. "But when you've got that type of turnover, it's detrimental to the city.

"I think it would be great if the city could stop that."

Better pay would be a good start, Hovis said.

He said the department is excellent, with dedicated, well-trained officers. But the best -- if they don't have strong family or other ties to the region -- move on to greener pastures as soon as possible.

That was the case for Kelly Kenser, a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University and a patrolman for just over three years with the Cape Girardeau Police Department.

He is in Virginia today to begin his training at the FBI Academy at Quantico.

Kenser compared the situation at the police department here with corporations that raid other companies for their best employees.

"Cape PD trains its people well and gives them good experience," Kenser said. "Then they leave and go to other departments for pay reasons.

Kenser said the general attitude of the city administration has been that if officers don't like what they make, they can go elsewhere. "A lot of officers have taken them up on that," he said.

Mayor Al Spradling III said the low starting pay in the Cape Girardeau Police Department is something the City Council and city staff are keenly aware of.

"There's no doubt that the starting pay is something we've got to address and get straightened out," Spradling said. "It's too low. I realize that, and the city manager realizes that."

City Manager Michael Miller said the city staff is only beginning to delve into the nuts-and-bolts of the overall budget for next year. But he said it isn't likely there will be a lot of money "just laying around" that could be applied to police salaries.

"The budget's always tight," Miller said. "I have met and conferred with the policemen and all the groups, and their concerns aren't all fiscal.

"I'm still looking at some of their concerns, and I haven't reached any final conclusion along those lines."

Miller conceded there are problems with the existing city pay plan, which he hopes the city can correct.

The City Council will gets its chance to review next year's budget proposal when it holds its annual council retreat on Friday.

City Councilman J.J. Williamson, a former 14-year veteran of the Missouri Highway Patrol, said he sympathizes with the police officers.

"If there's any means out there to come up with to help fund these guys, increase salaries and get them the equipment they need, I'm going to fight for it," Williamson said.

Pay isn't the only issue officers are concerned with; they say they face a growing workload and need three more officers.

Hovis pointed out that tickets for traffic offenses and driving while intoxicated are down significantly. At the same time, injury accidents continue to rise in the city.

"The traffic's out there," Hovis said. "Putting officers on the street is how you detect offenses, but officers are so busy doing paperwork that they're not able to be on the street."

Officers also are asking the city to hire an additional dispatcher and another Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System terminal. The MULES terminal would allow the city to more efficiently process inquiries on suspected criminals and free up dispatchers to spend more time listening to the radio.

Also, police officers want the city to purchase computer equipment that would enable officers to call in their reports.

For some officers, getting "repeaters," which would boost the signal of the department's hand-held radios, is a priority. Without repeaters the radios' range is limited by weather conditions and terrain.

"The walkie-talkie is our lifeline," said Kenser. "It's no good if that lifeline doesn't work."

Kenser said a situation can arise in which an officer is chasing a suspect on foot and giving back-up officers directions that aren't understood because of poor radio reception.

"In situations like that a radio is more important than a handgun," he said.

For Hovis, it's a simple matter of the city administration's priorities. "I just don't think we're a priority," he said.

A survey of some cities with comparably sized police departments shows that the Cape Girardeau department takes up a smaller share of the overall city budget than other cities.

In Cape Girardeau the police department budget is about 7 percent of the overall $55 million budget. That compares to 13 percent in Jefferson City, 8 percent in Lee's Summit, 17 percent in Joplin and 24 percent in Poplar Bluff.

But that number can be misleading because there are many projects included in the overall Cape Girardeau budget that are financed with bond issues. Projects like the city's extensive flood-control work, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and some street work are paid for with special bonds or taxes approved by voters.