Public safety is one of the most important responsibilities of local government. Rockville residents deserve a highly trained, experienced, and responsive police department, and our officers deserve to be properly compensated for the difficult and essential work they perform every day.

During the Mayor and Council’s budget discussions, I proposed that City staff prepare a comprehensive comparison of police officer salaries across neighboring jurisdictions after those jurisdictions complete their fiscal year budgets on or after July 1, 2024 with the objective to potentially raising salaries after July 1st.

I am pleased that my proposal received the support of the Mayor and Council and will be implemented in July/August 2024. This review will allow us to use current salary information and determine whether compensation for Rockville City Police officers remains at or near the top of the regional market.

Rockville has an outstanding police department. Our officers protect residents, respond to emergencies, investigate crimes, promote traffic safety, and build relationships throughout our neighborhoods. Recruiting and retaining the best officers requires more than expressions of appreciation. It requires compensation that reflects their training, professionalism, responsibilities and service.

Rockville competes with numerous law enforcement agencies throughout the region for qualified officers. When neighboring jurisdictions increase salaries or improve compensation packages, we must understand how those changes affect our ability to recruit experienced candidates and retain the exceptional officers already serving our community.

A regional comparison completed after the new budgets take effect will provide the Mayor and Council with timely and accurate information rather than outdated figures. I will continue working to ensure that the staff report is completed promptly so that we can act on its findings without unnecessary delay.

If the post-July-1st report shows that Rockville’s police salaries are falling behind other regional departments, I will strongly propose raising them as necessary. Rockville should strive to remain among the region’s leading law-enforcement employers and properly compensate the officers who keep our community safe.

Supporting our police department means providing the staffing, equipment, training, and compensation officers need to succeed. Our residents benefit every day from the professionalism and dedication of the Rockville City Police Department. We must continue demonstrating through both our words and our budget decisions that public safety is a top priority and that the service of our officers is deeply valued.