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Exclusive: Omaha Police Pay-Have You Seen These Salary Figures?

By   /   March 15, 2010  /   11 Comments

Try this number on for size: $65,440.

According to an Omaha City Hall memo obtained by Nebraska Watchdog, $65,440 was the average pay for 667 Omaha Police Officers in 2005009.

And that’s just for openers.009

The City’s Finance Department memo, dated March 1, 2010, was written in the middle of the ongoing contract dispute between the City and the Omaha Police Union. Along with “Police Officer” the memo also lists the average 2009 pay for three other ranks:

105 Sergeants-$83,179

31 Lieutenants-$91,608

8 Captains-$98,925 

Some City Hall insiders tell Nebraska Watchdog many Omaha taxpayers will find the salaries surprisingly high.

Omaha City Council President Garry Gernandt, a retired Omaha police officer, tells Nebraska Watchdog, “I haven’t seen that list.” gerdandt 2Asked if he thinks Omahans will find the figures high, Gernandt said many will see the salaries as reasonable but added, “I imagine you’ll get some saucer eye looks too.”

In December the police union and the Suttle administration agreed on a new five year contract but the Omaha City Council recently balked at the deal. The Council wants both sides to go back to the bargaining table to make some key changes. Those changes include a three year contract and police contributing more to their pension. 

Regarding the pension the memo also notes that the average salaries “say nothing of 25 years of service at 70% retirement and 30 years at 75%.”

Omaha Police Union President Aaron Hanson says, like Gernandt, he has not seen the list of salaries obtained by Nebraska Watchdog . But according to Hanson using the “average” pay is better than using what is known as the” maximum base” pay figure. The maximum base is the most someone can make within their category, not including overtime or specialty pay for such things as the canine unit or working a nightshift.

According to Hansen here’s how those numbers compare:

                           Average            Maximum Base

Officer             $65,440                $66,102

Sergeant        $83,179                $73,881

Lieutenant     $91,608                $83,574

Captain          $98,925                $98,844

The council is hoping to have a re-worked contract in the near future and have scheduled a vote on the new package for April 27th.

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Editor’s note: to see previous Nebraska Watchdog reports on this subject click here.

Reported by Joe Jordan, joe@nebraskawatchdog.org

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Joe Jordan

  • Al

    Are yuo kidding? You could offer me double those salaries, and I still wouldn’t take the job. Not in Omaha.

  • jazzee

    This is just BASE pay then add in longevity, education, shift differential, overtime, specialty, premium pay, card pay, holiday payment, clothing allowance, etc. ANd the city wants taxpayers to contribute 35%??? whatever

  • David

    I am all about being fair, I would love to know how these salaries compare to other cities.

  • Bob Smith

    They are behind comparable because these wages are based off of 2008 comparisons. They should be paid more. Remember they are willing to give up raises for 2009 and 2010 and still be behind comparable for 2011, 2012, and 2013.

  • Tea Party

    Terrible work by current and past administrations regarding Fire and Police. The retirement plan is so bad that good folks are leaving the force in their 40′s to double dip in the private sector. The private sector has nothing like it. It is a crime against the taxpayer thanks to our elected and this mayor and city council are not making it any better.

  • http://www.omaha.net Jordy

    @David I agree that comparing the salaries to other cities is the only way to truly assess if Omaha is inline with current trends. I grew up in a small town, and I always felt that the police there, who had absolutely zero threat of violence against and could speed with impunity on their off hours, were grossly overpaid (many were not even college graduates).

    In a bigger city like Omaha, you have a police force that may move in/out depending on competitive salaries, so you have to pay accordingly. It’s not the pay that scares me, though, it’s the pensions…

  • Bob Smith

    The mayor and the Police union presented a plan that begins to correct these issues and the city council bowed to grandstand to try and derail the hard work that has already been accomplished. To tea party it is the failing of the private sector not to have decent retirement plans for the average worker. There are no crimes being committed. You only cry foul because you are jealous.

  • David M. Leal

    More power to them, but I still wouldn’t do it the job and that’s the difference, most of us wouldn’t and couldn’t. These are specialized personnel trained, schooled and experienced to protect and serve the public. The stress level is equal to that of combat duty! God Bless them and may they all reach retirement.

  • Margo

    I get a bit confused with upper managment, when it comes to “allocation of money” (raises) then they turns around and either cuts staffing hours or better yet states “there is a freeze on salary increses”. Maybe those individuals that are on the frontline in the service sector need an appropiate salary increases not twenty five cent increase as it occurs in most Long termCare facilites.

  • http://salerno@windstream.net Mike

    My brother is the “KING OF THE SPIKERS” and I am ashamed and sorry to be his brother .. This is NOT what my father (who was a policeman also ) would say is right to the citizens of Omaha ..I’m sorry……….

  • http://salerno@windstream.net Mike

    Within the contract of the law ..Yes Morally right ? NO!