Evening star., 1953-06-23
Chief Defends
Police Salaries
As Equitable
Murray Says Critics
Are Few and Have
Little justification

Police Chief Robert v. Muir
ray said today he was confident
at least SO per cent of his men
were very grateful" for their
new pay raise and he has mo
sympathy to waste on anyone
who is not grateful"
The chief made the statement
after reported criticism from
some recently promoted officers
and protests from some retired
policemen because the longevity
features of the pay bill are not
applied to their pensions.
Chief Murray said he had not
heard about any dissension or
dissatisfaction.
Grateful for Help.
II am grateful to the men,
bers of Congress, to the citizen
groups who assisted us and to
the newspapers who also helped" :"
Chief Murray said. II think ev-
cry member of the Police De-
partment should be grateful,
too, and I'm sure the overwhelm-
ing majority of the men feel the
same as I do.
Careful consideration of this
bill was given by the members
of Congress. I feel, all in all, it
is a very good pay bill. Ninety
nine per cent of the men appre-
ciate it. If any feel otherwise, I
have no sympathy to waste on
them"
To reports that some recently
promoted .lieutenants are COM
planning because they have no
longevity to give them extra pay,
Chief Murray said, "The lieuten-
ants got the largest single in
crease in pay Of any group. They
were given an increase of 1868 90,
about a II per cent increase. I
can't feel sorry for them"
Is Reward for Long Service.
AS for the retired policemen,
Chief Murray said the longevity
provisions were written into the
bill to reward men who had re-
manned in one grade for many
years. Men now retired get to
benefit of the pay increase, but
not the longevity. Men who re-
tire after July / retire with
longevity benefits.
The longevity provisions have
created some pay oddities. but
police officials said only a hand
ful Of men were affected.
1t was explained that a police
man who stays in one grade
more than five years with satis-
factory service. gets 1920 longeVs'
ity increase up to a maximum of
five increases, for a total of $500
extra pay. Longevity does not
begin to accrue until a man has
been on the force three years.
Police reported the average
length of service on the force as
of today is approximately five
years.
Some Equal Officers Pay.
Because of the longevity pro-
visions of the bill and certain
special compensations, there are
some grades of policemen who
will make more or almost as
much as officers in the next
rank. Here's how it works:
A private is assigned as de-
tective sergeant. Although he
continues to be a detective SER
geant for many years, he is ac-
tually in the grade of private so
his longevity dates from the end
of his first three years on the
force. His top pay as private
under the increase is $4,641. To
this is added $1,000, the addi-.
tional compensation for detec-
tive sergeants. If he has been in
this grade % years, he will have
the total benefits of longevity
for another 5000. His total pay
is thus $6,441.
A lieutenant will get $1,000
under the bill. If he has been in
the grade less than five years he
will have no longevity pay Thus,
a detective sergeant may make
$6,441. while lieutenant is get
ting $1,000. OF the 81 detective
sergeants there will be II eligible
for the $6,441 on July /.
If one of these is promoted
thereafter, he will make $6,441
as lieutenant under a proviso
that a man should not be pen,
allied by a cut in pay for being
promoted.
The lieutenant making $4,000
may have been a detective ser
geant for many years befope be-
ing promoted a few years back.
His colleagues who have stayed
detective Sergeants will be max
ing more money than he does.
However, they cannot get on the
list for promotion to captain, and
he can.
Applies Only to One Grade.
Longevity applies only as long
as a man stays in the grade. For
instance, a private with four
and-a-half years service gets
promoted to- corporal. He can
not stay as corporal for six
months and then get a leng-
evity increase. He has to start
from scratch.
However. if a private has been
In that grade % years and is
thus entitled to full longevity
$500 added to his base pay Of
$4,641 for a total of $5.241-he
viii make $5,241 if he should
get promoted to corporal, al
though the base pay for a cor
poral is 5000. That's because
Congress didn't want him to take
o pay cut when promoted.
Police emphasized that these
are likely to be the exceptions.
It is not customary for q pri-
voka fo StnY q o1.ivofa for On