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The Harrisburg City Council has unanimously approved a resolution to increase police salaries by 7% annually over the next three years. The decision comes as the Harrisburg Police Department faces challenges in retaining officers, having lost six officers to other departments this year alone. The pay raise aims to make the department more competitive with nearby cities.
The new starting salary for Harrisburg police officers will rise from $59,583 to $64,447 this year, eventually reaching approximately $69,000 in 2027 and $73,000 in 2028. Despite the increase, Harrisburg's starting pay remains lower than some nearby departments, such as Lancaster City and Reading.
Council member Lamont Jones called the pay raise a "great start" to retaining and attracting officers. Capt. Kyle Gautsch of the Harrisburg City Police acknowledged that pay is a factor in retention issues, although broader challenges in policing recruitment persist. Gautsch noted, "Calls for service haven't slowed down, and crime unfortunately hasn't come to a stop."
The new contract, which took about a year to negotiate, has already been approved by the police union. It does not include provisions for lateral transfers or changes to shift times, but these could be addressed in separate legislation.
The Harrisburg Police Bureau's report showed that 24% of positions were vacant, with nearly 38% of patrol officer positions open. The department is about 40 officers below its budgeted complement, and upcoming retirements may increase vacancies.
The pay raise is part of an effort to make Harrisburg competitive with municipal departments, although it may not be enough to compete with regional departments like the Northern York County Regional Police Department. Read more about the resolution here.