RIO RANCHO COULD SOON HAVE THE KIND OF POLICE RETENTION PROBLEM THAT ALBUQUERQUE HAS HAD. THE REASON: MANY SAY RIO RANCHO DOESN’T PAY ITS COPS A COMPETITIVE SALARY. KRQE TV REPORTS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID A SURVEY AND FOUND THAT 90 PERCENT OF ITS OFFICERS ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR JOBS ELSEWHERE.
CORPORAL RICHARD MARTINEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE RIO RANCHO POLICE UNION, SAYS FIVE OFFICERS RECENTLY QUIT BECAUSE THE PAY WAS SAID TO BE TOO LOW. HE SAYS THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITING SO VIGOROUSLY THAT APD’S BROUGHT OVER THREE OFFICERS FROM RIO RANCHO SO FAR.
MARTINEZ SAYS IT TAKES LONGER FOR RIO RANCHO OFFICERS TO MOVE UP THE PAY SCALE. IN ALBUQUERQUE, THEY START AT 20 DOLLARS AN HOUR, THEN MOVE TO 29 DOLLARS AN HOUR.
