JONESBORO — The Jonesboro Police Department is getting a 16% pay raise thanks to a unanimous vote Monday, Aug. 14 by the Jonesboro City Council.
The 16% increase brings the starting pay to $50,161.11, Jonesboro Police Chief Tommy Henderson said during an Aug. 7 City Council work session. The starting annual pay before the increase was $43,243.
During his Aug. 7 presentation to the Council, Henderson listed several reasons he was requesting the pay increase — retention and recruitment, morale and motivation, cost-of-living increases, and public safety enhancements for police officers.
“A well-compensated and contented police department can better focus on protecting the community and preventing crime effectively,” Henderson wrote in his recommendation for the pay raise.
Henderson also wrote that the pay increase bridges the gap between Jonesboro and other local agencies — making Jonesboro a more attractive choice for qualified candidates.
The Jonesboro Police Department currently has 28 street officer positions with five vacancies, Henderson said during the work session.
The raise is for sworn officers only, not administrative staff.
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