“For Florida state law enforcement officers, the increase equates to $27 more per week. Progress made…with a long road ahead.”
As Florida Governor Rick Scott was touring Connecticut to lure businesses to sunny Florida, the nation’s lowest-paid state troopers, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), were coordinating a police funeral for one of their own. FHP Master Sergeant William Trampas Bishop, a 30-year veteran with the state patrol, was killed on Interstate 75 while investigating a traffic crash on June 17, 2017.
While Master Sergeant Bishop was sorting through a traffic crash, Governor Scott was making plans to boost his state’s commerce by encouraging Connecticut based companies to relocate to the Sunshine State. Enveloped by under-compensated Florida state troopers, Sergeant Bishop’s wife and son pooled together resources to finance Sgt. Bishop’s burial service.
The Connecticut State Police Union (CSPU) took exception to both variables, openly chiding Governor Scott for drumming-up business while his state’s grossly underpaid and perilously understaffed troopers deserved his undivided attention. As its Mission Statement, the CSPU denotes it “continues to be committed to improving the working conditions of our 1,040 members (Troopers, Sergeants, Master Sergeants).” That quote testifies to how dedicated they are to their constituency and how honorably they stand with Master Sergeant William Bishop and his family in Florida, insinuating Gov. Scott’s place is not in Connecticut.
In a WTNH.com report, the CSPU lambasted Gov. Scott for poaching businesses in their state and “bragging about how Florida has cut $6.7 billion in taxes and created over 1.5 million jobs over the past six years yet the Florida Highway patrol has the lowest paid troopers in the country.”
Abuzz in the news lately has been persistent negative press publicizing FHP at the lowest rung of state trooper salaries. Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol start their careers at a meager $33,977. After 30 years, and at the time of his line-of-duty death, Master Sergeant Bishop topped-out at $61,192, according to a report published by WTNH.com. Although FHP’s recruitment bulletin contains some pay variation depending upon what county troopers are assigned, generally it is around $34,000 supplemented by some benefits.
Incidentally, FHP publicized a trooper-hiring announcement on May 31, 2017…coinciding with media reports and articles scorching the agency for poor pay and staffing shortages impacting the motoring public.
Since we have Connecticut in the mix here, it behooves us to look at their salary range. Newly-hired Connecticut State Police officers start at $55,756 upon swearing-in and $44,383 while training at the police academy. Similar to FHP, troopers receive a take-home car once duly qualified. Other benefits sweeten the package, but the salary buys the bread and butter; and if pay lacks…butter has no bread.
When comparing a $61K per year salary of a 30-year state trooper to other Florida agencies who start their law enforcement officers at $48-53,000 or better, it defies reasoning. For example, a salary.com survey (dated May 2017) comprises a wide range of law enforcement agencies throughout Florida. The Tampa Police Department, whose sworn staff is roughly 1000 cops, pay their newly-promoted sergeants $84,000. That is just one example of many disparities between police agencies and the Florida Highway Patrol. That TPD figure is $23,000 higher than what Sgt. Bishop achieved after 30 years patrolling Florida’s highways and byways.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the water-borne law enforcement sister agency to FHP, start their cops at $36,222, a few thousand more per year with less contacts than state troopers.
Show Me the Money
So it begs the question: if Governor Scott is touting how much growth the State of Florida is experiencing, why does he not adequately compensate state employees such as troopers? In response to this and other questions, the Governor’s office recently countered all the bad press regarding state troopers’ low pay by passing SB7022 titled Public Employees (effective July 1, 2017). In essence, this bill approves pay raise appropriations for law enforcement, correctional officers, and other state workers…to the tune of $183,723,372.
That creeps slightly closer to valuing state troopers and other state employees more, but it stops shy of filling the 300 or so state trooper vacancies. FHP’s response? Recruitment is ongoing and retention is reliant on the pay grade increase to commence on the 1st of July.
The Florida Highway Patrol is authorized a sworn-strength of 1,946 troopers statewide. Currently, that number is deficient by about 300 vacancies, thus pressing harder on current troopers working the state’s 67 counties. Could that huge number of unfilled trooper slots stem from the dismal salary? Perhaps. Could Master Sergeant Bishop’s demise been prevented had he been fulfilling supervisory duties instead? Likely. But that only means a non-ranking trooper could have also been in harms’ way, resulting in a similar catastrophe.
After signing SB7022 on June 14, 2017, Governor Scott stated to the press:
“Today, I am proud to sign legislation which provides much deserved pay raises for Florida’s sworn state law enforcement officers, correctional officers and state employees. Earlier this year, I recommended a five percent pay raise for all sworn state law enforcement officers and increased pay for Florida’s correctional officers as part of my Fighting for Florida’s Future budget and I am glad the Legislature passed meaningful legislation to address this.”
Other Florida politicos weighed-in. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adam Putnam offered:
“Our law enforcement officers and other dedicated public servants work day-in and day-out to make Florida the best place to live, work and raise a family. I thank Governor Scott for signing Senate Bill 7022 that, among other things, provides state law enforcement officers, correctional officers and all state workers a well-deserved and overdue pay raise.”
Incidentally, Putnam’s state department has its own Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement, whose police officer salary starts at $31,879, according to its personnel division. Given that dismal annual salary, the FDACS will also receive a pay bump of $1400 annually which, even with the raise, places them even lower than FHP’s current compensation.
According to FloridaTrend.com, all state employees making under $40,000 per year will receive an annual $1400 pay increase whereas those making over $40,000 will receive a $1000 increase per year. For Florida state law enforcement officers, the increase equates to $27 more per week. Progress made…with a long road ahead.
Richard Corcoran, Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives said:
“In today’s world, law enforcement officers are called upon to do more than ever before. To protect and serve is in their DNA and we are blessed to have them in our midst. I am honored and pleased that, along with Governor Scott and the Florida Senate, we were able to show our appreciation and thanks for their sacrifices and service.”
Jeff Atwater, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer said:
“The best-kept secret in our state is the group of dedicated and talented staff who perform extraordinary work each day on behalf of the state. These men and women, along with our brave law enforcement officers across Florida, are most deserving of our gratitude and appreciation and I’m proud that we’re granting them compensation for their success.”
Not entirely sure I would’ve said “The best-kept secret” to acknowledge underpaid public safety and state workers.
Florida’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Pam Bondi said:
“The attack on members of Congress this morning and the one-year anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting are just a few reminders of how vital our brave law enforcement officers are to our safety. While we can never thank them enough, I am grateful to the Governor and our state lawmakers for this legislation increasing their pay and the pay of state attorneys and judges who work diligently to protect our state from violent criminals.”
The police hunt, apprehend, combat, and shackle the “violent criminals” before prosecutors and judges get their say — any pay bump deservedly goes to cops. Moreover, state attorneys and judges are typically more handsomely paid than police officers to begin with.
Director Terry Rhodes, the top dog who oversees the Florida Highway Patrol said:
“As our state grows, we are committed to recruiting and maintaining a statewide force devoted to keeping Florida roads safe and clear. This legislation represents an investment in the members of the Florida Highway Patrol as well as all statewide law enforcement officers, and I applaud Governor Scott and the Florida Legislature’s unwavering dedication to recognizing their heroic work each day.”
If it were “unwavering dedication”, the pay disparity would not have been an issue leading to this bill. Nevertheless, better late than never has its applications.
In a written response to the line-of-duty death of Master Sergeant William Bishop, Governor Scott said “Every day, Florida’s law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect and serve Florida families. This terrible loss is a somber reminder of the work our brave law enforcement officers do to keep us safe.” I consider myself a grace-and-humility sort, but that kind of rhetoric gets stale quickly. To those with the purse strings — put your money where your mouth is. Do the right thing, without piecemeal presentations.
Show troopers how much you value their lives and public service. Beef-up the ranks whereby additional troopers could more potentially abate motorists such as the likes of the one who mowed down Master Sergeant Bishop. Florida’s Move Over Law is rendered partially paralyzed if law enforcers are in dreadfully short supply.
All this can be done while the State of Florida speaks for itself, without need to have the state’s top tier poaching in other territories. I can only imagine if the shoe was on the other foot, if Connecticut officials dropped baited, shiny lures into Florida waters. I’m not so sure of such decorum.
As is customary in the law enforcement community, police officers from across the nation travel to attend police funerals and pay respects. Connecticut State Police officers will be in Florida to distinctly honor a Florida state trooper, their honorable purpose while in the Sunshine State.
