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Employees at Lexington County Sheriff’s Department receive up to 6% pay increase after county council decision
In a recent move, the Lexington County Council has approved a pay increase for all employees of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD). As per the announcement, the department mentioned that all positions within the organization will experience a pay increase of 3%, with existing employees receiving an increase of up to 6%.
Pay Hike Break Down
The decision points to a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for all current employees due to the increase in county pay bands by 3%. Further, depending on their annual performance evaluations, the current employees may also be eligible for merit-based salary increases accounting up to 3%.
Impact on New Applicants
A significant impact of this move will be seen on new applicants for uncertified positions, like detention and law enforcement personnel, as they will now have a starting pay ranging from $48,342 to $51,249 subsequent to the increase.
Raises for Certified Employees
For certified employees, the raises will be as follows:
- Certified employees with zero to two years of experience will have a starting pay ranging between $50,287 and $51249
- Certified employees with three years of experience will have a starting pay of $51,741
- Certified employees with six years of experience will have a starting pay of $53,194
Additional Initiatives
The LCSD has also announced some additional initiatives along with the pay increase. This includes new school resource officer positions in Lexington County School Districts One and Four. The patrol and detention deputies will get new tasers, and there will also be an upgrade in the technology and equipment being utilized.
The department has confirmed that the pay increase went into effect from this Monday.
Reaction
The pay increase has been largely welcome, highlighting the importance of competitive wages for law enforcement roles. While the department sees this as a big step towards maintaining their efficient workforce, it also sparks a new hope for aspiring employees, gauging the benefits they can expect in this line of service.