Small Town Police And What They Get Paid

There's a divide in Ocean View, one that began in 2005 with the construction of the town's public safety building. Some said the $3.3 million facility was needed to plan for future growth. Others said construction of such a large building was fiscally irresponsible. It seems the same group is facing off again, this time over police wages.
In Ocean View, an officer fresh out of training makes about $37,000 per year. Compare that to $42,700 in Bethany Beach, just miles down the road, and $50,000 offered by the Delaware State Police.
In the past month, the town lost three trained officers to neighboring departments.
Sgt. Mark Burton, a 12-year employee, left for a position in South Bethany; Sgt. Justin Norman, who had been with the force for nine years, was hired by Bethany Beach; and patrolman A.J. McKechnie, a three-year Ocean View officer, accepted a position in Selbyville.
Compensation was the reason for all three departures.
One year ago, Ocean View had eight full-time officers, though one was on medical leave due to a leg injury sustained in the line of duty. Today, the town has four. With concerns over further attrition, town officials are considering a study to determine if wages need to be re-evaluated for police and other town employees. For this, kudos goes to the mayor and Town Council.
Police Chief Ken McLaughlin said the recent vacancies have left the town without 24/7 police coverage. While an around-the-clock police presence would be nice, it's not needed; times are tough and resort towns throughout Sussex County are making do with less. What is needed is an investment in the town's future via higher wages for the town's remaining officers.
Employers must be competitive to retain good employees, and Ocean View is no different. If wages are not adjusted, the town may lose more skilled officers. And with the cost of training each new cadet somewhere around $58,000, the loss is magnified.
Now is Ocean View's opportunity to shine. Why not eliminate one or two of the vacant positions and increase salaries for the remaining officers? While a study is nice -- and definitely shows the town is being proactive -- officials don't need an expert to tell them they need to increase police wages.
Turnover is natural, but three officers in three weeks? There's an obvious problem.
If the town deemed it necessary to invest more than $3 million into the building that houses the police department, why not invest in the employees who work there? Seems logical, right?