SLC Mayor Mendenhall Announces 30% Pay Raise For Entry-Level Police Officers

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced she’s giving the Police Department dramatic pay raises.

She said the move would push Utah’s capital to the top of the market to attract and retain quality police officers.

Mendenhall announced a 30% bump in pay for entry-level officers, a 12% raise for senior-level officers and more modest pay raises for other union-represented city employees during a press conference Friday afternoon.

The mayor acknowledged some people would disagree with the pay increases for police, but she said retaining good officers is key to good community policing.

“It’s the city that ultimately loses out, and the strategy of nickel-and-diming our talented and committed workers hurts us in the end,” she said.

The Salt Lake City Police Department is currently down 63 officer positions.

In just the last year, 45 officers either quit or retired.