Atlantic City police and fire salaries near top in N.J.

Published ACpress: Wednesday, December 13, 2006

ATLANTIC CITY — New contracts for Atlantic City's police and fire departments made the resort's public safety employees some of the highest-paid workers in the state, according to Sept. 28 and Nov. 22 city payrolls and a state survey.

The average Police Department salary rose from $66,055 to $83,185, a 25.9 percent increase. Average Fire Department pay increased 14.8 percent, from $71,195 to $81,706.

The jump is the result of contracts the city reached with its public safety employees in October after almost four years of waiting. Among other things, the contracts offered retroactive 4 percent raises going back to 2003.

The difference between the police and fire department increases is due to the wave of recent retirements, individually negotiated contracts for some top brass, and starting police salaries that rose 26.4 percent, to $46,534.

The Fire Department raises are exactly in line with those of other departments around the state, Atlantic City Firefighters Local 198 President Angelo DeMaio said.

They came as the price of “everything keeps going up,” DeMaio said. “Gas was going up — it's definitely important for them to get the raises on time. They are definitely happy about it. We only hope we can keep moving forward.”

He hoped future contracts would be passed quicker, to avoid tensions and give city officials fewer budget aggravations.

Atlantic City PBA Local 24 President David Davidson could not be reached for comment.

The new salaries put Atlantic City police among the highest-paid in the region and state, according to the current League of Municipalities New Jersey Municipal Salary Report. Because many fire departments are volunteer, the survey does not track those salaries.

The report is the best source of salary information for local governments, but it acknowledges it has flaws. The report is based on information submitted voluntarily, is issued in alternating years and may draw from earlier information. It also publishes the salary ranges of public jobs, rather than the actual salaries paid to the public employees.

The authors of the most recent report, published in October 2005, warn also that job responsibilities may vary widely from town to town, particularly in the higher ranks.

As a result, precise figures are hard to come by.

In years past, city officials have defended public-safety employee pay by pointing out that Atlantic City is an international destination that sees nearly 35 million annual visitors. It also has a crime rate several times greater than either the state or national average.