Press Release: Clifton Police Department low starting salary continues to hurt recruiting

Tafari Anderson candidate for city council agrees with Councilman Gibson’s response to a local paper that “It is getting to be a serious situation”.

The ongoing issue of losing new recruits to surrounding municipalities has been a longtime issue that is plaguing the city police department with no end in sight. Clifton starting salary for rookies is $30,000 while other departments are starting at $40,000 leaving the department struggling to meet the needs of the community.

“Councilman Gibson is correct in short of saying that this is a disaster waiting to happen,” Anderson, candidate for council, said.

“Becoming a police officer or a firefighter is a selfless act, it is either a family tradition or a life long dream. These are the people who are keeping us safe and protecting us while we sleep at night, we are asking them to risk their lives for $30,000. How can a family of five survive on a salary that is barely above the federal poverty guidelines,” Anderson said. The starting salary is the major obstacle facing the department and there is no end in sight.

“There are many other items that could be part of the negotiation process and starting salaries should not be one of them, because it is imperative to remain competitive in the market in order to retain the best of the best.

Additionally, we need to be one of the first pulling from the civil service list and not the last. In some cases, some have survived, served and protected our country why shouldn’t we support them upon their return,” Anderson Said. Approval by the council to hire additional officers long after the civil service list has been certified provides fewer options for the department and well as retirement of senior officers could create a lack of manpower for the department.

“As someone that attempted a career in law enforcement both in the NYPD and in New Jersey, I was deterred due to the salary reduction under then Mayor Bloomberg in the mid 2000s so by doing this we are losing good candidates. Being a police officer is not a minimum wage job, it is a career that predicts our standard of living and economical viability that deserves immediate attention,” Anderson said.

“It is imperative to remain fiscally prudent, but if the city is unable to meet the current market value for new hires and is unable to subsidize salaries due to negotiation or other means, maybe, just maybe a sign on bonus could solve the issue as a temporary solution or entering into an early negotiation to extend the current agreement could be an option. However, to do nothing is kicking the can down the road that will end up being an overtime issue for the city and Clifton will be considered as a training program,” Anderson said. The Council and PBA Local 36 most recent memorandum of agreement in the negotiations for a new contract kept the starting salary at $30,000 which is now the current state of affairs.