District Attorney Hoovler Urges Orange County
Municipalities to Raise Police Pay
Pay Increases Needed to Retain Qualified Officers
Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler, on Tuesday, February 16, 2022, encouraged Orange County’s municipalities to take steps to raise the pay of their current police officers, and to offer higher salaries to potential future officers in their police departments. That action is necessary to stem the loss of qualified officers to agencies in other counties or out of the policing profession altogether.
“Our local police officers are the front line in protecting our citizens,” said District Attorney Hoovler, “and are usually the first responders to all types of emergencies, including medical emergencies. We count on them for a variety of services, over and above their duties in investigating and preventing crime.
“Unfortunately, increased demands on policing and salaries that don’t keep pace with those demands and with the cost of living have resulted in many officers retiring from policing and leaving the profession for more-lucrative opportunities in other fields. Even those that stay in policing often leave local agencies for higher-paying positions in other counties or states, or in federal or state service. The same is, unfortunately, true of prosecutors and all others involved in protecting the public safety. The result is a loss to this County of the knowledge and expertise of those that leave service here.
“I realize,” continued District Attorney Hoovler, “that municipalities have to keep an eye on their budgets. But in doing that, municipalities should put a priority on salaries for police. Public safety demands that we recruit, train, and retain the best police officers available, and only through an increase in their salaries can we accomplish that.”