Crime & Safety

Murrieta Police Execs Take Pay Cut Heading Into Fiscal Year

Four who held top City positions have retired--two of them from the Police Department--resulting in added savings for the City.

A retirement incentive taken by four employees has lead to the reduction of some City pay scales and the reorganization of some key positions, including top policemen.

The Murrieta Police Management Association (MPMA) agreed to a 10.27 percent reduction in salary range for police captains, and the department will not fill a lieutenant position upon the retirement of Capt. Steve Porter. Porter's retirement will result in the promotion of a lieutenant to captain.

The police chief salary range was reduced by 10.55 percent with no negotiations, as the Murrieta Police Executive Association was dissolved when Chief Mark Wright retired.

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Interim Chief Mike Baray's salary range is set between $155,234 and $188,688, before benefits, which is between $12,936 and $15,724 per month.

The salary range of the department's two captains is now set between $127, 712 at its lowest and $155, 234 at its highest--or between $10,642 per month and $12,936 per month.

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The department typically runs with five lieutenants, but will run with four for at least a year. Two lieutenants work in the operations divisions, and two in the investigations divisions. The fifth lieutenant typically splits their time supporting both departments.

"This is not a permanent freeze (of the position)," said Lt. Tony Conrad, spokesman for the "We are trying to streamline a few things to get prepared for the upcoming fiscal year. We will review the budget in a year. It is not something that the Chief wants to do without for a while."

In exchange and in an effort to reduce the financial liability to the City upon retirement, members of MPMA will now be allowed to use their accrued sick leave as paid time off. The City has not provided sick leave since 1996, but a small group of employees had sick leave on the books that was previously not usable.

Along with the retirement of Chief Mark Wright and Capt. Steve Porter--for which they received two months' salary--two other top-level employees are retiring by July 1.

Community Services Manager Debbie Tharp will retire, as well as Senior Planner Jim McKenzie. Tharp's position will not be filled, according to Jeffrey Price, human resources director.

"Her duties will be distributed among the employees in the Community Services Department," Price said, adding that the senior planner position will also eventually be filled but at a lower level.

Another area of a savings will be the appointment of a code enforcement supervisor. Currently, a police sergeant oversees the code enforcement division. Salary savings from a vacant part-time code enforcement officer position will be used to offset the 10 percent salary increase, and will free up the sergeant to work on internal affairs.

Price said the City expects to save $313,715 a year through this retirement incentive program and resulting reorganization. The City will see less of a savings during the first year, at $212,537 because of the retirement incentive payouts.

City Council approved the program at Tuesday's meeting 4-0, with Rick Gibbs absent.

Of the City's 351 full-time positions, 139 of them belong to the Police Department, 61 to Fire, 33 to Public Works, 30 to Community Services, 17.5 to Finance, 16 to Building and Safety, 14 to the Library, 13 to Planning, 12 to Information Systems, six to the City Clerk, 5.5 to the City Manager's Office and four to Human Resources.


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