Orange County

Orlando police, Orange County deputies seeking pay increase

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando police officers are asking for 15% raises over the next three years.

READ: Orange County deputies arrest suspect in crime spree that began with seemingly random fatal shooting

Because of inflation, ongoing scrutiny and staffing storages, deputies in Orange County are looking for a similar hike.

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Both raises will cost millions every year.

Orlando police officers and Orlando City Hall are at the table negotiating their next contract.

Officers get what are called “step plan increase,” but said that the wage scale doesn’t include cost-of-living hikes.

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These shortages equally concern both groups, and right now, officers don’t see an easy fix.

The Fraternal Order of Police said there are other issues as well:

“The profession is under an unprecedented level of scrutiny… many officers are more fearful of administrative actions being taken against them by their employer and/or being prosecuted by activist state attorneys, than they are of being shot and killed in the line of duty.”

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Officers told Channel 9 the city should consider raising the starting pay to fill the 40 open positions, like other cities are doing right now.

Orlando police officers are paid $25.34 an hour, and there have been no increases since 2020.

But they do get paid a little more than deputies in Orange County, who start at $24.04 an hour.

Their union is not asking for a starting pay hike, but are asking for step increases as they move up.

See more in the video above.

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Shannon Butler

Shannon Butler, WFTV.com

Shannon joined the Eyewitness News team in 2013.