The city of Prairie Village is poised to increase police officer salaries in two phases over the next 18 months in an effort aimed at retaining, recruiting and competing more with other Johnson County police departments.
At Monday’s city council meeting, City Administrator Wes Jordan said the Prairie Village Police Department is at “a critical crossroads,” with 12 vacant positions, including three traffic and three patrol officers.
That means that during some shifts, there are only two officers patrolling the city: One north of 75th Street and one south of 75th Street, Jordan said.
Prairie Village is proposing an immediate increase to police officer salaries starting in July. A second increase would then be built into the preliminary 2025 budget.
Both Jordan and Chief Byron Roberson said they believe an increase in police officer salaries will make Prairie Village more competitive against other local municipalities that fight for the same pool of new officers, as well as help retain current officers.
The Prairie Village City Council during its committee of the whole Monday sent the preliminary 2025 budget — which totals $32 million — to the city council for final approval.
Councilmember Lori Sharp cast the lone dissenting vote for the motion to move forward with the preliminary 2025 budget, though during the discussion, Sharp said she is supportive of the increase in police officer salaries.
Prairie Village estimates replacing 28 officers in 5 years cost $2.5M
- While the city has hired 31 police officers in the last five years, according to city documents, the city has also lost 28 officers, and seven others have retired in that same time frame.
- Jordan said it costs the city nearly $90,000 to hire a non-certified officer, including the application process, salary and benefits while the person is in the police academy, equipment and more.
- The city has spent nearly $2.5 million replacing those 28 police officers in the past five years, Jordan said.
- Roberson said that other cities increased police salaries shortly after Prairie Village did, which meant the city’s salaries fell behind — particularly the salaries of tenured officers.
- “We’re trying to keep people,” Roberson said. “We’re competitive already, I think, bringing them in. But we have to take care of the ones that are already here serving the community.”
A look at the police officer salary increase
- Currently, Prairie Village police officers make between $57,700 and $77,900, depending on years of service. Master police officers make between $63,450 and $85,720.
- Other Johnson County cities start police officers out around $60,000 like Prairie Village, but the top salaries in other police departments are closer to $90,000, according to the city.
- In a move that would take effect next month, Prairie Village is proposing increasing the range for all officers to between $62,000 and $90,000.
- Under the preliminary 2025 budget, that range would go up further to be between $65,000 and $92,000.
- The city also wants to shorten the time it takes for officers to “top out” — or get to the highest paid salary — to 10 years opposed to the current 12 to 14 years.
The document embedded below includes the police department salary review, starting on page 94.
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Open in new tab This will cost the city an additional $220K in 2024, $426K in 2025
- The 2024 midyear adjustment to salaries is estimated to cost $220,000, but the city believes this can be covered with savings from other vacant positions, according to city documents.
- Police officers would receive immediate boosts in pay based on years of service, according to city documents.
- Jordan said city staff worked to include the additional $426,000 cost for an increase to police salaries in the proposed 2025 budget.
- Jordan said the city believes it can increase police salaries without dipping into reserves.
Go deeper: Watch the entire 2025 budget conversation online here, starting at 2:03:20. The police officer salary discussion starts at 2:22:00.
