Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 41 comments Add your own | iPod friendly
photo by Steve VanGunda
Officer Ben Davis of the Natchez Police Department responds to a radio call Thursday afternoon. Davis said he doesn’t think about the paycheck when he’s doing the job he loves. But statistics show that Natchez Police officers are often scooped up by departments with larger salaries.
Do the men in blue need more green?
Published Sunday, May 4, 2008
NATCHEZ — When Officer Ben Davis puts on the uniform, straps in his gun and heads to the streets he sees black and white, not green.
Davis is the cut and dried type. He deals in right and wrong, not the gray in between.
And all he wants to do is help.
Photo by Steve VanGunda
Sgt. Chris Logan, of the Adams County Sheriffs Office, updates the jail logbook Friday afternoon. Logan is a former Natchez Police Department officer.
Originally from Natchez, Davis was in the Army for 20 years before becoming a police officer in Natchez.
“There were two things I wanted to do — be a soldier and a police officer,” he said.
He’s been working for the Natchez Police Department for a little over a year, and he said what he likes most about his job is helping children.
“I gave a kid a ride when he was tired one day because he had to walk across town,” he said.
And the moments he finds the most rewarding are when people tell him thank you.
“Police always have a bad reputation,” he said.
What breaks him down is not the 12-hour shifts, it’s seeing bad things happen.
“It excites me just to come to work,” he said.
For Davis, the work is enough.
But Davis is a rare bird.
Driving factors
The starting salary for a Natchez Police officer is $24,120 a year.
Though that number is higher than what officers make in Vidalia or Greenville, it does fall well below the starting salary of officers in other Mississippi town’s similar to the size of Natchez.
In McComb, the starting salary is $27,000.
In Columbus, a police officer who hasn’t even been to the academy makes $27,435. After only one year on the job they make $32,677 annually.
A patrol officer in Natchez, after working 20 years, will make $31,900, and that’s where the buck stops.
But, perhaps the biggest salary competitor for NPD isn’t out of town at all.
Natchez police officers more often than not, jump ship to join the Adams County Sheriff’s Office to tack on $5,000 more to their annual salary.
“As a result of that, we’ve lost 10 officers (to Adams County) over the last five years,” Police Chief Mike Mullins said. “All you have to do is ask the people who have left here (why) — nine of out 10 of them are going to say higher salary.”
And Adams County Sheriff Ronny Brown said he has an application from approximately 90 percent of the current NPD officer staff in his office.
ACSO deputy Maj. Jody Waldrop said he transferred from the NPD in 2004, and money was the motivating factor.
“If someone can do the same job and get more money, why would they do it for less?” he said. “It’s only natural.”
NPD and ACSO employees are on the same retirement package, so making the jump is easy, Waldrop said.
So NPD continues to hire and train officers, investing time and money, that is typically quickly lost.
“It’s not just a financial cost when you have to hire new officers regularly,” Mullins said. “You would rather have a six-year veteran rather than an officer who has been here less than two years.”
Rookies make mistakes, they need supervision, they haven’t acquired swiftness and judgment through experience that veteran officers can possess.
Mullins said keeping officers for more than a year or two makes the department more efficient.
“If you have more experienced officers, sometimes you can send fewer officers to a call and they are able to work with less supervision if they have more experience,” Mullins said.
Natchez Police officers receive raises on a step-scale. At certain points in their career — steps — they are given a raise. But these increases often still aren’t enough to catch officers up with other towns.
The starting salary in Jackson is only $23,750, but after only a year the annual salary gets bumped to $28,887.
Natchez police officers don’t make that much after working even 10 years.
For a police officer in Oxford, that starting salary is $29,870, and after graduating the academy, the salary is bumped up to $30,850.
The solution
NPD’s problem isn’t new. Former Police Chief Willie Huff, who led the department from 1993-2002, said he faced the same dilemma.
“(New officers) miss things on patrol, they’re not familiar with the area, it takes a long time to become familiar with the area and the people in the area,” he said. “If you’re continually in the training mode you can never get ahead on crime.”
Huff said when he was the chief, he instituted the percentage increases to give incentives.
The step increase is good, he said, but the starting salary needs to be increased.
“If you don’t increase the starting salary, you continue to compete with other agencies that pay a higher salary,” he said.
Ultimately, Mullins said the Natchez Police Department is going to keep losing officers and continue to be a training ground until they can raise the salary to compete with Adams County Sheriff’s Office.
If that money can’t be found, then the recruiting base would have to be broadened, Mullins said.
“Right now there’s a requirement that you have to live within Adams County to work for the city or the county,” Mullins said. “What I’ve been considering asking the board is in the future to relax that residency requirement to allow us to hire officers that live within a 30-minute drive from the police department.”
But Waldrop said if the city wants to retain officers their plan of action is simple — raise the pay.
“It’s one of the most central most motivating factors,” he said.
Another option? Clone Davis.
“(Pay) doesn’t concern me,” he said. “I’m in this for the job.”
And he is absolutely certain he would never leave NPD to go to the sheriff’s office.
“We have more calls,” he said with a laugh.
Comments
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 12:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Support the Officers of the NPD, Support the Deputies of the ACSO! and the Troopers of the MHP!
Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 1:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The pay for the NPD and VPD needs to be raised. What they earn is simply too low for what they are expected to do. I still think the NPD and ACSO need to consolidate. That would surely help with the problem of police officers transfering to the SO. You cannot blame the officers for making the move to the SO, it only makes sense with the pay being better in that department.
Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 2:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Police pay is lower than for most other towns our size? Thats sad. But, let's not forget that our Alderman's pay is the highest of any town in the state. Thanks to our current group of aldermen, of course.
Posted by frogprincenessntz (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 3:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OldGrandDad, I believe you showed us the solution. The public who pay the salaries should cut the aldermen salaries and give the cut amount to the police officers. Any concerned citizens should be at the next meeting of the board demanding that alderman salaries be no more than the average, and police salaries be above average. We would save the training money, and have a better force.
Posted by gunther57 (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 7:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
you know why davis dont leave, its simple he is getting 4000 a month in active duty retirement and he is getting the 1600 bring home from the PD. if you take a officer that all they have is the PD and nothing else they have to get 2 or 3 jobs to stay ahead.
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
frogprincess - you know if the public shows up at a board meeting they will immediately close it and say it is not a public meeting. The tax paying public are like mushrooms as far as the supervisors and aldermen are concerned - kept in the dark and fed you know what.
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Alas another important issue that PW and the current aldermen have failed to address...Let's get some folks in there with common sense who will do what is right by these men and women and the City of Natchez.
Posted by darylwalker (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 9:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There are many other law enforcement agencies other than what rushinghjr mentioned in his post that need everyone's support, but for some reason most forget those. For example, I'm an officer of the MDOT and people tend to forget I'm there. We're all out there patrolling the same roads you travel every day.
That being said; yes, Natchez police officers seriously are in need of a raise. How does it look when the people that are paid to protect you and your family are only paid $24k a year? Remember the old saying "You get what you pay for"? In saying that, I'm in no way trying to put down any officers of the NPD. The ones I know work hard and are good people. They do what they do because they love the job. But it's only logical when they can receive better pay somewhere else, they go to it.
One thing NPD needs to do (other than a pay raise) is what I've seen other departments do. Require a new hire to sign a contract that requires them to work for NPD for at least 4 years. If they default on that contract they should have to reimburse the city for their training cost. I've seen and heard many stories of NPD offers being hired and sent to the academy only to quit and go to work for some other department as soon as they were finished with their training.
This is a problem that I believe requires several steps to solve. I hope they city can figure out the solutions and give these officers what they deserve.
Posted by callinitlikeitis (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
re: to gunther57 's comment - police officer davis may be getting $4,000 monthly active duty retirement, he certainly deserves it, as does anyone that serves our country. also another point, he could work somewhere else that pays more, but he chose to natchez PD and for that we are fortunate and blessed.
i hear so many people talk bad about law enforcement yet when something goes wrong......law enforcement is who they call.
the SHELL station on wood avenue is rampant of negative talk about NPD and ACSO. yet they don't complain about the character & morals of people that hang around doing their dope deals, talking the 'f' word language, drinking out there little brown paper bags there inside and outside of the SHELL station/store.
i just don't get it. i am so SICK & DISGUSTED with peoples' horrible attitudes.
next time they get robbed, abused, raped, beat up, in a car wreck.......maybe they should call a million dollar paid football player or a rapper, etc.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 11:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good point, callingit. I'm sure those Shell people say the cops are hurting their business...what business, I ask! It's the cop's responsibility to enforce the law, and if the Shell people are upset about it, they're probably part of the drug pushing problem. Shame, shame.
I like cops. I had some issues with them in my earlier years, but now I see how they were only helping me. It's the rogue cops who give folk like Officer Davis a bad name. It's obvious Davis is dedicated. We need more like him on the force.
Posted by gunther57 (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
callinitlikeitis- i was just stating the facts, i know cause i have been in the Guard for 9yrs and i am in Iraq now. i am also a police officer in Natchez. so if anyone has the right to complain it would be me, and the other officers that work for NPD. you never know who is own this forum so dont be so quick to judge. also i am very happy that Chief Mullins is trying to get this fixed. with the price of gas and other things.
Posted by Yeahuhuh (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 11:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am all for paying our Natchez Police officers a scale comparable to other towns in this state. Burglary and theft rates seem to be higher than normal here, but relatively we are a very non-violent community.
I think the general feeling is that property crime here stems directly from the economic realities that also affect the city employees. And excuse me if I mention again that these economic concerns stem more than likely from our schooling system. As long as the lighter side of the population mostly boycots the public schools sytem I think you will see a disparity between us an other communities in economics, and likely in other areas, too.
So let's face it, don't most of us take a pay cut to live here? And our kids have fewer opportunites than Jackson and Hattiesburg, but on the other hand the town is conveniently small and there are a lot of familiar faces. I suppose that is why a lot of us stay here.
I am not minimizing the danger that law enforcement faces, but I do think those factors are a glaring reason why things may be the way they are.
Maybe if you diminished the salaries of aldermen -- the normal knee jerk accusation/response, you could give a few policemen a small raise -- but would that really help? The police would make a few more bucks but the basic scheme of the city would remain the same. That tendency to point fingers and blame is why Mississippi is at the bottom of so many lists.
A lot of communities merge their services. Wonder who, if anyone, would oppose that?
Posted by acedog (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
this has been a problem for years.it seems like are mayor and are aldermans don't realized how serious of a problem the pay is.WHEN CORPORATION THINK ABOUT LOCATING A BUSSINESS SOMEWHERE TWO THINGS ARE AT THE TOP OF THERE LIST. THE QUALITY OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMITMENT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. HOW WELL YOU PAY YOUR OFFICERS IS A SYMBOL ABOUT HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE ABOUT YOUR SAFETY.UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS SOLVE THE NATCHEZ POLICE DEPT. WILL CONTINUE TO BE A TRANING GROUND FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SERIOUS ABOUT THERE SAFETY.
Posted by andy (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 2:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TELL THE TRUTH YOU POLICE MEN YOU KNOW WHY YOU DO NOT STAY AT THE PD ON THE STREETS YOU GUYS TELL US IT IS THE MEN THAT CAN'T WORK FOR A CHIEF LIKE MIKE AND MAYOR LIKE WEST THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT YOU OR THE CHIEF YOU GUYS ARE TALKING WITH A FORKED TONGUE THIS IS YOUR CHANCE ITS NOT ALL THE SHERIFF OFFICE YOU GUYS TRY TO GO ANYWHERE FOR MORE MONEY BUT MAINLY FOR THE FACT THAT THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPT HAS NOT HAD ANY SUPPORT IN YEARS FROM THE HIGHER UP RANK CAPT TO CHIEF TELL IT LIKE IT IS GUYS YOU HAVE TO WRITE TICKETS OR GET IN TROUBLE IT IS NO ONE BACKING ANY OF YOU
Posted by bereal2 (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ACEDOG, You are exactly right. I have many friends in HIGH PLACES and I know for a fact that there have been several MULTI-MILLION $$$ CORPORATIONS that considered Natchez but were informed about the LAW INFORCEMENT PAY. 1 is now in McComb and the other is in C.S. There are several Alderman that know what I'm talking about. I will leave it at that, because this could ruffle some FEATHERS. Be smart and combine the PD with the County and watch the applications numbers increase. The new prison will make a different.
Posted by jack (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
sounds like officer davis is a nutttt lets support the rest of the men at teh police dept that do want a raise and someone with some back bone to represent them has chief mike ever went to raise their pay no no no but he has went and asked the board of supervisors to cut the police budget this is a fact and taht is why this good men cannot get raises or anything else a chief and mayor that only care about each other
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 3:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
yes ben davis probably is one with his additude that could not come to the sheriff office they do not take anyone like the city police do we should all the thankful and where did the chief of police come from with the deal about having to live in the county his head detective use to live in vidalia until just a few months back, he has officers from fayette come on mike you can do better than that lie
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 5:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Acedog...Andy...STOP YELLING! the info and intent of your messages are lost in the shrillness of your large typing.
Acedog...I agree that what you pay to keep your well trained people is an indicator of the community's value of those people and the security they provide.
I wonder, though, about your second thought regarding education. Did you intend to make all those spelling and grammatical errors to emphasize your point? Are you upset at the educational system because it didn't teach you better English? Were you so irate you simply lost it and failed to calm down enough to proofread what you typed before posting? I'm not trying to put you down personally, but there are kids who get on these blogs and we need to set an example. An argument is soon defeated by the low quality of the communication of that argument.
Andy...sounds like you have information that you haven't brought forth. Do you have any proof to back up your accusations or your exhortations to the men on the force?
Bereal2...what is C.S.? Crystal Springs? What corporations left and where is it documented that the reasons you cite are fact?
Jack...Officer Davis sounds like a dedicated professional who loves his job more than treasure. I don't know about the Chief's interaction with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen except what is in the public domain, if you do, please share it, but don't put down Officer Davis...he deserves better.
Finally, if two corporations did leave to go elsewhere, it'd be my guess that it wasn't necessarily because of education, or security, several other problems Natchez has...it was most likely Natchez failure to come together on anything and the constant sniping among its citizens as evidenced by some of the responses to this op-ed.
Posted by callinitlikeitis (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 11:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
could this be the reason some corporations chose not to settle in natchez............???? PHILIP WEST before he was mayor was present in a meeting with execs of an industry/corp. exploring natchez.
PHILIP WEST asked of the execs if they would be fair and hire blacks to work for them.
what do you think that question instantly made the execs think???? tell me.
Posted by acedog (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 11:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
natchez 500 about your comment about whom the sherriff dept. is hiring , nearly 90% of the deputies at the adams co. sherriff office are former police officers, from the chief deputy on down
Posted by acedog (anonymous) on May 4, 2008 at 11:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
at least the officers at the police dept. have civil service behind them.when you work for the sheriff you our a at will employee.for example when ronny brown first got elected he fired a lot of dedicated men and women,some had over 20years of service to this community,but they were fired for no reason.at least the men and women of the police dept. don't have this problem to worry about.they don't have to kiss ass like the average sheriff deputy to just keep there job.
Posted by sammohon (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 12:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Acedog...that's the risk they run when they go from the civil service to the sheriff's office for better pay...the grass isn't always greener. I'm not saying it's fair, but it is what it is.
I appreciate your restraint from yelling and I notice you've also worked on your spelling and grammar...thank you.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 3:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Don't seem like they are staying 20 years at the NPD to even have to worry about it.....
I would think 24,000.00 a year would be close to poverty..that's so sad that a cop would have to try and raise a family on that little of money...
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 3:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hitormiss keeps posting that PW has brought over 200 new businesses to Natchez...They might want to check into one of those for more money....I haven't a clue where 200 new bussinesses have went in Natchez but.....
Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 7:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
More police and pay them like YOUR life depends on them.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
acedog i think they were not fired , just not hired they were ferrell supporters and did not want to work for the new adm do you expect ronnie brown to keep people that were against him and if you would like to check ronnie caught hell for keeping some of them even having the right to fire or not hire any of them i think he only did not hire the ones that did not want to work for him you should give him credit for keeping any of the old ferrell people looks from here like he kept good ones and he is the only sheriff elected again 2 terms now with winning all the precints black and white ones
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 9:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
acedog civil service doesn't keep good people at the police dept it keeps the ones that are lazya nd do not work to use it as a way to stay employed and not serve the public work good and you do not need it it's a joke any way
Posted by jack (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
maybe we should elect a new mayor doesn't he work for the mayor chief mike
Posted by jack (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
the police chief asked to cut his own budget so how can he ask for more money for his men
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
(Fire39212) PW's website only lists 190 businesses! That's seems very high for within the City Limits. The Chamber of Commerce could give us some insight? City Hall may tell us-license's have to be issued to start a business!
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I still do not believe there has been 190 new businesses here in Natchez...I would have to see them to believe it...then i would still wonder lol....Where are they at? Are they all supposably still open??? What are they talking about like snocone places or something like that?
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i meant snowcone
Posted by mudzillaefi (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Build the pay, and they will come.
Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 1:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
lol@mudzillaefi
Posted by obamayamama (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 2:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Clone Davis? If you were to clone Clone, you would have a clone of Clone.
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 4:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
how did we get off the subject to west and the election he already stated he gave them raises and the board did also we need new leaders in city gov
Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 5:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
thanks u mama
Posted by signman88 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
many workers at traffic , public works & water works make
less than a alderman.
Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 9:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
With the new casinos coming it would be a sensible pledge for the Mayor and Aldermen to use the additional revenue to pay NPD officers the same as the sheriffs dept. I am sure everyone wishes that many people in the city were paid better, but we have to have the revenue to do that. Sure some budgets could (and should be trimmed) but many have been pared to the bone.
It makes no sense to train police officers to have them leave to go to the sheriff's dept. If they leave for other towns that is harder to stop but often less likely as children and homes get up routed.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 5, 2008 at 10:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
With allegiance to law enforcement in all areas, I have been involved in uniform and out of, Adams County and Natchez needs to consider and evaluate a single government body and the combination of the city police and the ACSO! Or leaving the NPD as a lone department with a single government body, possibly have the NPD with contracted officers for their few years in order to save on the training costs, etc. The population of Natchez and Adams County is small for this concept to work well! The Leaders of the City and County need to start thinking "outside" of the box and to think more progressive and from a conservative viewpoint also! Also, there will be better management in the NPD with much better salaries and benefits, and let's not forget the Firemen of Natchez and Adams County!
Posted by gunther57 (anonymous) on May 7, 2008 at 1:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
dont know if anyone has put this out there but it is aganst the law to combine city and county. it has to be seperated. thats the state of mississippi law, what needs to happen is the city needs to have a cap. aldermen cant make more than 15k a yr. and the mayor cant make more than 50k. i mean look at it almost all the aldermen have buisnesses and are well off and the mayor is the same. that is where the rich stay rich and the poor stay poor there is no middle class anymore.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)