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BY: ABQ RAW Staff
POSTED: 11/10/2023 @4:15PM
Official post made on APD’s social media sites
Albuquerque –
In a career where truthfulness and integrity are always at the top of the list for recruiting police officers it seems APD is cheating or lying on their current pay scale numbers to try and win an internet social media PAY SCALE WAR. Two days ago, the Bernalillo County Sheriff Office posted a chart on social media promoting their Deputy salaries trying to recruit to their department. However, yesterday, the Albuquerque Police Department made some lighthearted fun, but it was not honest, and posted their salary and benefits to try to sway people to join their department, hinting that they (APD) care more for their officers from day one.
The social media accounts of BCSO and APD both shared information about the pay for their law enforcement personnel starting as a cadet. BCSO was the first to post the salary information, as follows:
BCSO’s current pay scale without added benefits effective today
However, APD asserted its belief as the alpha department and shared this:
APD’s future pay scale without added benefits effective July 2024
This is great news for both departments, as police officers and deputies have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. However, in a world of integrity and truthfulness, one department is posting a pay scale that is not yet in effect. The APD social media post with the pay officers will receive does not go into effect until July 2024.
Below is a pay scale that APD officers are currently receiving, which is significantly less than what their official website chart is showing below.
Screen shot from APD’s website
We reached out to APD’s Public Information Office team, and as per their internal policy against us, they did not call us or email us back with a comment.
However, we did manage to get in touch with APD’s Police Officer Association (APOA) president, Shaun Willoughby, who defended APD’s stance to a point. He said that APD is presenting “future” pay in their post however that was unnecessary since their most senior street level officers and detectives already make up to $42 an hour after factoring in longevity and specialty pay which is factored into their 2080 hours of yearly work hours.
Willoughby also went on to say that final pay is factored into up to 90% after retirement for life, which is the same for BCSO. When asked about BCSO’s original post, Willoughby stated that APD’s pay and benefits “dwarf” BCSO’s pay package. He went on to state that BCSO is being “disingenuous” and “dishonest” about their numbers comparison.
When we reached out to BCSO’s PIO, Jayme Fuller Gonzales, she immediately responded, saying,
“The numbers (APD pays) were pulled directly from their website and their recruitment information made publicly available and highlighted by APD. Those numbers were changed yesterday after our post. The lateral pay portion came from a recent press release discussing their anticipated increase for FY 2025. From our understanding, the numbers they posted yesterday are also not an accurate reflection of their current pay”.
BCSO’s Fuller Gonzales went on to say that, “Sheriff Allen will always advocate for BCSO Deputies to stay at the top of the list for pay in our State. Sheriff Allen has a great relationship with the Bernalillo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association and will do whatever it takes to keep our team competitive with other agencies”.
We also reached out to BCSO’s Bernalillo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association Union President, Sergeant Samuel Rodriguez, and he informed us that they also have a benefits and specialty pay program comparable to APD’s. He also noted that with APD, their pay plan is tiered, requiring over 15 years before reaching the maximum, whereas with BCSO, you max out almost immediately.
Sergeant Rodriguez said, “APD is stating in the future, they will out pay BCSO, when today, a starting deputy makes more than a rookie officer. APD is locked into a contract until 2026 and BCSO enters negotiations this spring. Should someone’s career pass APD scrutiny and DOJ standards, they might earn a higher income but could risk compromising their own happiness and that of their spouse. APD is four times the size of BCSO with thirty times the amount of Internal Affairs investigations. BCSO is constitutional policing at its finest, their internal affairs data proves this.”
President Sergeant Rodriguez provided the below charts for current and future pay scales directly comparing both departments. Below is a direct and current pay comparison between the two departments.
Below are the numbers that go into effect July 1, 2024 (the numbers APD are advertising right now).
Here is the link to the APOA contract: