Early budget presentations are already underway for some City of Austin departments, including police, fire, and EMS.
The Public Safety Commission is recommending adding money to APD’s budget to give brand new cadets a higher salary. Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday said you get what you pay for…
One request, which the city council will now consider, is a $10,000 raise for all new cadets. This would be to lure more qualified candidates to town on the heels of APD data showing 40-percent of the current cadet class has quit the academy. Casaday said keeping cadets also helps fill the dozens of open positions at APD.
Staffing continues to cause headaches for officers, according to Casaday, especially because the downtown entertainment district stretches them very thin.
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