October 1, 2013 – – While approving a new five-year contract with city workers, San Diego Councilmember Marti Emerald has said it is time to meet public safety needs head on. San Diego’s public safety employees have seen cuts in allowances and lack of pay increases for several years as the city struggled with a number of financial issues.
With the San Diego Fire-Rescue department losing trained firefighters and lifeguards to other agencies and San Diego Police Department spokespeople saying the SDPD is losing up to 10 officers a month to retirement and other departments, Emerald announced a plan to discuss a contract re-opener with San Diego’s public safety employees. Better pay and benefits seems to be one of the major causes of attrition.
At a hearing scheduled for October 30 at 2 pm in the Council Committee Room, located on the 12th floor at 202 C Street in downtown San Diego, the Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee, which Emerald chairs, will learn the latest on salary and benefit comparisons with other cities competing for San Diego’s police officers, firefighters and lifeguards.
To further compound the problem, almost half of SDPD’s force will be eligible for retirement in the next four years.