Council raises pay for police officers

Posted by Arlyssa Becenti | Oct 20, 2016 | News |

WINDOW ROCK

It took two days of debate at Budget and Finance but an increased pay schedule for the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety has been approved.

This committee was the last committee needed before the raises could go into effect. NNDPS will have a specific salary schedule within the 2017 budget instructions manual, which will allow the division to utilize PL 638 contract funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for salary increases.

Navajo Nation Director of Public Safety Director Jesse Delmar explained that the new pay scale will be based on performance grading.

“We weren’t using that for years and years,” said Delmar. “The pay wasn’t managed well. It should be based on performance.”

Delmar explained that the range is based on an officer’s years of service, performance, and other factors. Navajo Nation Chief of Police Phillip Francisco agrees it’s the best route to go, especially in his position.

“The legislation that we put forth is what I would like,” said Francisco. “The increase as it is proposed is significant. Right now we are pretty well competitive and a little more above.”

But Budget and Finance Committee member Leonard Tsosie (Littlewater/Pueblo Pintado/Torreon/Whitehorse Lake/Baca/Prewitt/Casamero Lake/Ojo Encino/Counselor) was up in arms with the idea of the pay scale. His opposition had ended the discussion the previous day.

Tsosie would rather pay more to the officers than other personnel so that recruitment of officers would increase. He did not see that in the proposed pay scale.

“I can’t believe what I am hearing,” said Tsosie. “The Chief of Police does not support police officers. The Law and Order (Committee) doesn’t support police officers. The Division does not. What you are doing here is supporting the status quo. We’re going to have less police officers.”