West Newsmagazine 7-5-17

16 I NEWS I
July 5, 2017
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
MARTA’S
Clothes
starting at
$8
By JIM MERKEL
Starting salaries for St. Louis County
Police officers will increase by 8 percent,
and the county police department will add
110 officers, following the passage in April
of a countywide half-cent sales tax boost
for public safety.
It’s one of a number of improvements
county officials have announced following
the victory of Proposition P. Estimates
made before the election were that the
county police would receive $46 million
and individual municipal departments a
total of $34 million a year.
“We can simply do more with more
people,” said Officer Ben Granda, media
relations officer for the county police.
“One hundred ten officers is pretty significant,
and I think that’s something that can
make an improvement.”
Under plans announced June 22, the
starting pay will be $52,000, and the pay
matrix for more experienced officers will
build on that. The top salary for officers
with 15 years experience will be $77,000.
The county and the Fraternal Order of
Police agreed to the new matrix. If the St.
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Proposition P outcomes
County plans to add 110 police officers
Louis County Council approves it, the plan
will go into effect on Jan. 1.
“It puts us in line with some of our
municipal partners. We’re able to attract
and retain the best police officers possible,”
Granda said.
In a statement released by county police,
Chief Jon Belmar said, “We will start our
hiring efforts after we begin receiving
the Prop P revenue later this year.” A new
class graduates from the police academy in
December.
The county police also have received
some additional applications, including
some from experienced officers, Granda
said.
The county department also plans to
use Prop P funds for more two-officer
cars and dashboard and body cameras,
along with other technology improvements.
Steve Ables, assistant director of the
Municipal League of Metro St. Louis, said
he’s heard little about the plans of county
municipalities to spend the money adding
that “those who are on a Jan. 1 calendar
have some time to make some determinations.”
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Wildwood to hire additional officers
By MARY SHAPIRO
Wildwood is planning to use a couple of
options to add to its number of police officers
serving the city through its agreement
with the St. Louis County Police Department.
The City Council, on June 26, gave first
reading to legislation that would amend the
city’s police services agreement with St.
Louis County to add a new police officer to
serve the city starting on Aug. 1. That legislation
will receive a final vote on July 10.
City Administrator Ryan Thomas said
the officer would serve on the city hall
information desk, likely between 2-10 p.m.
to be available during, for example, city
council meetings and generally to be on
duty to serve the public in the evenings.
He said funding for the post – estimated
to be $33,041.66 for the remainder
of 2017 and then $79,300 per year afterward
– would be available through St.
Louis County voters’ approval, in April, of
Proposition P, a half-cent countywide sales
tax increase to fund law enforcement and
public safety needs in the county and its
municipalities.
Councilmember Joe Garritano [Ward 8]
praised the move, saying “this would allow
residents seeking help in the evening to
find a police officer available at city hall
[versus having to contact St. Louis County
police dispatching].”
The council, also on June 26, gave
final approval to a resolution approving
an application to the U.S. Department of
Justice for partial funding for another additional
county police officer through the
COPS hiring program.
Thomas said that, if the application is
approved, the city would receive 75 percent
federal funding for a new county
police officer for three years. He said the
city’s 25 percent of the cost would be
$16,277.96 in 2018, $18,497.68 in 2019,
and $20,717.40 in 2020. Starting in 2021,
the city would pick up the full cost of that
officer – but, again, it would be funded
through the Proposition P revenue.
“We have two areas of need for that officer,
including a dedicated parks and trails
officer and to help with neighborhood traffic
enforcement,” Thomas said.