Police Raises Approved by Honolulu City Council
All four counties get a last look at the 5% wage increases before the agreement is finalized
The contract to increase police officers pay by 5% per year through 2025 received unanimous approval from the Honolulu City Council on Wednesday.
The raises will cost Honolulu taxpayers $136.7 million over the three years, according to the resolution approved by the council, but State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers says the increased wages are long overdue.
The raises are a result of an arbitration聽agreement approved in July between the SHOPO and the state and all four counties. Hawaii island and Kauai county councils have already approved the agreement that runs from June 30, 2021 to June 30, 2025.
With more than 300 police officer vacancies on Oahu, SHOPO spokesman Dustin DeRollo said the agreement will help with retention of seasoned officers and greatly needed recruitment of new officers.
SHOPO represents more than 2,700 officers statewide, including about 1,900 on Oahu, 433 on the Big Island, about 300 on Maui and 150 on Kauai.
According to the Honolulu Police Department, before the raises the base salary for officers with two to three years experience was $5,687 per month; $5,923 per month for officers with four to six years experience; and $6,152 per month, for officers who have worked seven to nine years.
