Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin’s proposed budget includes $12.4 million in raises for the Kentucky State Police and $4.5 million in salary increases for the state’s correctional officers.
The Kentucky State Police Professional Association estimated that a little more than $15 million would be needed for a 5 percent across-the-board increase for all 2,714 KSP employees. That figure also included a $5,000 a year raise for KSP troopers.
Lyon County judge-executive Wade White led the Pay the Badge campaign to raise awareness about needed salary increases for state police and correctional officers. Though Bevin’s recommendations aren’t as much as requested, White says he’s pleased with the proposed budget.
“I was so glad to hear him mention that he wanted to protect those who protect us which has been our slogan through this," White said. "We wanted to do everything we could to make sure that the state police and correctional officers and correctional staff were remembered in this budget.”
“Given the fact that they’ve gone for years without raises, anything that they can get now will be a positive effect," White said.
Despite the raises for troopers and correctional officers, Bevin’s Justice and Public Safety Cabinet budget recommendations fall nearly $200 million short of requested funding in fiscal years 2017 and 2018. See those figures on page 113 of this section of the Executive Budget.
White said he will continue working through Pay the Badge and will urge lawmakers to approve Bevin's budget recommendations.
