THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, August 5, 1995               TAG: 9508050262
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   49 lines

OUTGOING PRESIDENT SAYS FOP MUST WORK TO PROTECT OFFICERS

In eight years as leader of the nation's largest law enforcement organization, outgoing FOP President Dewey Stokes said Friday the group still has far to go in protecting the rights and lives of officers.

Under Stokes' direction, the Fraternal Order of Police aided passage of the Brady Law, the assault-weapons ban and several other key pieces of crime-prevention legislation.

The organization also spearheaded campaigns to encourage officers to wear body armor and seat belts, Stokes said. He recently supervised the purchase of an FOP building in Washington.

But while the FOP is financially secure with more than $1 million in its coffers, Stokes said he leaves office knowing many officers across the country are financially strapped.

``Some police officers are still paid minimum wage,'' Stokes said.

``And others are beat to death by immature or inexperienced politicians. Officers should be paid well enough to where they are not relegated to second-class citizens.''

He said the plight of police officers in Virginia Beach, the convention's host city, it typical. Compared to cities of similar size, Virginia Beach officers are among the poorest paid. Their salaries fall near the bottom of the wage range, according to a city-sponsored study.

The study looked at police salaries of more than 30 departments in cities with populations between 100,000 and 1 million. Virginia Beach has about 423,000 residents.

``Here, officers are in the bottom third of the scale,'' Stokes said. ``When officers become reliant on second jobs, or on overtime, then it's time for a city to reassess its priorities.''

Stokes said cities like Virginia Beach risk becoming ``training grounds'' for young officers who move to better-paying jurisdictions.

Stokes, 54, decided not to run for re-election at this year's conference. He has accepted a job as one of three county commissioners for Franklin County, Ohio.

He was succeeded Thursday by New Mexico's Gil Gallegos. ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Dewey Stokes

by CNB