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CMPD Officers Pack Council Meeting To Push For Raises

Officer Frank Cantrell asks City Council members for better pay and benefits while surrounded by fellow officers at Monday's meeting.
David Boraks
/
WFAE
Officer Frank Cantrell asks City Council members for better pay and benefits while surrounded by fellow officers at Monday's meeting.

Charlotte Mecklenburg police officers made another pitch for raises at the city council meeting Monday night.  They packed the council chamber and addressed council members during the meeting's public comment session.

Officer Frank Cantrell said many officers can't afford to live in Charlotte.

"Charlotte expects CMPD officers to be the fabric of our community. But, yet, you do not pay them enough to afford them the opportunity to raise their families here," Cantrell said.

Six police officers spoke during the session, along with two Charlotte firefighters who said they came to support the police.   

The local Fraternal Order of Police originally approached the council in February, asking for a 15 percent pay raise. They also want improvements in health insurance and other benefits.

City manager Marcus Jones is in the midst of preparing his 2018-2019 budget plan. He'll present it to the council May 7th.

David Boraks previously covered climate change and the environment for WFAE. See more at www.wfae.org/climate-news. He also has covered housing and homelessness, energy and the environment, transportation and business.