By Joanna Putman
Police1
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Highway Patrol is set to receive a pay increase for the second year in a row, Cal Matters reported.
Officers are in line to receive a 7.9% pay increase based on this year’s compensation survey. The survey is conducted annually to conform with a state law mandating CHP officers be compensated competitively with other agencies. Last year’s raise was 6.2%, according to the report.
State law requires that the raises be calculated based on the base salaries, retirement benefits and add-ons of five other departments: the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments in Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and San Francisco, according to the report.
This year’s raise will be the highest CHP has seen in at least 20 years.
Police salaries have become increasingly competitive over the past two years as agencies struggle to hire enough officers to staff departments, according to the report.
Even with salaries that are competitive with nearby agencies, CHP has struggled to recruit and retain officers. A new bill that would have raised the maximum enlistment age from 35 to 40 was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom last month, according to the report.