Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 12, 1995                   TAG: 9504120063
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY AND DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

COUNTY POLICE PUSH TO AVOID PAY LAWSUIT

Attorney Jonathan Apgar, who is representing the frustrated officers, told the supervisors the county could avoid legal action.

"The men and women in the Police Department deserve a better answer than `yes, there is a problem here, but we aren't going to solve it,''' Apgar said. ``Legal redress would be the absolute last resort. I'm sure everyone I represent would much rather have you come up with an equitable plan in which they know where they stand and they know why they stand there.''

This week, police officers hand-delivered packets of information to the supervisors and top administrators explaining their confusion and bitterness over the current pay plan.

Under the plan, employees are categorized under one of 35 pay grades. There is a salary range for each grade, with a minimum, midpoint and maximum figure. County officials say the midpoint is the job's market value.

In the 13-page document, officers contend that the pay plan has created vast inequities. They say individual salaries have been adjusted, causing other pay inequities in the department.

Officers with several years' experience say they make little more than recruits, because the county continues to increase starting pay. Veteran officers say they have seen little or no increase, because they are at, or just above, market value.

The result is a turnover rate that has cost the county an average of $100,000 a year since the department was established in 1990, according to the officers' document. That cost involves time selecting applicants, training new officers, recruits' salaries and equipment costs.

"Officers remaining with the department regularly complain about the necessity of dealing with 'rookies,''' according to the document. "These employees' perception is that the county does not care about retaining quality, experienced personnel."

County officials do not dispute that there is a problem with the turnover rate in the department or that there are pay disparities.

County Administrator Elmer Hodge acknowledged at Tuesday's meeting that county police officers are paid less than those in other jurisdictions. But he says the pay scale problem exists throughout the county's government.

To support his position, Hodge presented a chart that shows 1994 turnover rates. According to the chart, the Police Department had a 12.10 percent turnover rate last year, the result of losing 15 of its 124 employees.

By comparison, Parks and Recreation's turnover rate was 14.29 percent, with seven out of 49 employees leaving. In the smaller office of the Commissioner of Revenue, four out of 15 employees left, putting that office's turnover at 26.67 percent.

"That kind of turnover in the Police Department is not acceptable, and we must work to resolve it, but we have turnover problems in other areas as well," Hodge said.

Police officers are spread among several pay grades and grouped with other county employees. If the supervisors consider adjusting police salaries, they also would have to look at the pay of other employees, including engineers, laborers and employees in the Sheriff's Office, Hodge said. And that would cost money.

At least one supervisor indicated he would support a study of the pay scale - if salaries were reviewed across the board.

Supervisor Harry Nickens said the county has a responsibility to seek "parity and equity for all our employees."

But Supervisor Ed Kohinke questioned the validity of departmental comparisons, saying police face special dangers, long hours, intensive training and high stress.

"I think comparing the Police Department to anyone else in Roanoke County is like comparing apples to oranges," he said.

Hodge asked the supervisors to send the issue to committee for further review and development of alternative solutions. Both Hodge and Supervisor Lee Eddy said they would like possible solutions to be considered before July 1, the start of the next fiscal year.