Question: What would be the costs associated in FY 2025 with meeting the pay scale adjustment needs outlined by the Sheriff's Association in question #59 from the FY 2024 budget process? (Councilmember Bagley)

Response: 

The Sheriff estimated* this pay scale adjustment would cost $614,516 in FY 2025.

Background: In FY 2024, the Alexandria Sheriff’s Association submitted a letter with pay and compensation requests (see FY 2024 question #59). In this letter, the Association’s second priority was for the city to conduct a review of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office pay scale structure and how it has been affected by the current entry-level deputy sheriff’s starting salary. (Note: The Association’s priority was for a comprehensive salary benchmarking, which the city completed in November 2023. See FY 2025 budget memo #57).

The Association requested a pay scale adjustment because, in part, new deputies start at Step 2 on the pay scale. The Association and Sheriff have proposed removing the first two steps on the pay scale (00 and 01) and reducing the pay scale to 17 steps. This would also require a realignment of merit raises. The Sheriff estimated it would cost $614,516 in FY 2025 salary and benefits to make this pay scale adjustment.

*The city did not perform its own analysis of the Sheriff-proposed pay scale adjustment because the City’s 2023 benchmarking found that Sheriff’s Deputies are compensated competitively in the City’s primary labor market.

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