Top cops in Fountain Valley to earn more money

Fountain Valley police leaders are getting raises.

The force’s five lieutenants and captains will get immediate 3% increases, plus monthly longevity pay if they have at least 20 years of service, retroactive signing bonuses, increased city contributions to their health insurance plans and a bump in bankable vacation hours. They also will get salary increases over the next two years.

The City Council approved the compensation upgrades on a 4-1 vote Tuesday.

Councilman Mark McCurdy cast the dissenting vote. He praised the local force but said it is paid fairly compared with other police departments in Orange County, given Fountain Valley’s size and low crime levels.

“Yes, you might say that has something to do with our effective and efficient Police Department,” he said. “Yes, I could not agree more. However, I believe that the biggest reason a city is a nice place to live are the citizens that live there. Our nice place to live happens to be a nice place to work too, and should be factored in as a benefit.”

His colleagues, however, said the top officers are due a raise.

Councilman Steve Nagel said they have gone years without a pay increase and that this was an opportunity to reward their work and attract good employees.

“We’re in a competitive environment, so we have to keep our people up at a competitive level or we’re gonna lose all our good employees,” Mayor John Collins said.

Before the council’s approval, a base salary for a Fountain Valley police lieutenant ranged from about $115,000 to $140,000 a year. A captain earned $131,000 to $160,000.

In fiscal 2017-18, which starts in July, the top officers will get a 4% raise. In fiscal year 2019, they will get 3% boosts.

The longevity pay, at $250 per month, applies to four out of the five employees. All five will get one-time, retroactive $1,000 signing bonuses this year, and starting in January, the city’s contribution to their benefits will increase by about $54 to $74 per month based on the number of dependents covered. The benefits contribution will increase again in calendar year 2019 by $15 to $75 per month.

The vacation accrual cap will also increase, from 240 hours — or six weeks — to 300, or about seven and a half weeks.

Councilwoman Cheryl Brothers said Fountain Valley is one of seven out of 34 Orange County cities with its own police force. The other cities contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and she said it’s impractical to compare the city to the Sheriff’s Department’s pay scales.

She said being a “revolving door” for any kind of employee, but especially police, is expensive, and called the compensation improvements “moderate.”

“It’s been demonstrated over the last few years that we are not as competitive as we once were simply because we didn’t have the funds, and this is exactly why HH (local sales tax increase) voters approved the measure,” she said.

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