ATLANTA (AP) - Atlanta’s mayor says it’s time to give the city’s officers a big boost in pay.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Monday the city will raise pay for Atlanta’s officers 30 percent over the next three years.
News outlets report the city has 300 vacancies in the police department, much of it because of lower pay than officers in other departments.
Bottoms says a raise is a public safety issue for the city.
A study commissioned by the Atlanta Police Foundation found the city’s officers are paid about 20 percent less than officers in 10 similarly sized departments around the country.
Atlanta officers are also paid less than four state and local departments.
An audit found that Atlanta officers have been paid millions of dollars in overtime to fill vacant shifts.
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