Kentucky State Police troopers began to receive much-needed pay raises Monday (8/01) as provisions in the new state budget take effect.
Governor Matt Bevin and the General Assembly worked in bipartisan fashion this year to include salary increases in the budget and support a permanent pay scale for the Kentucky State Police, which will benefit the agency for many years to come. The pay scale resulted from companion legislation championed by Senator Chris McDaniel.
Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rick Sanders said the institution of a permanent pay scale will allow Kentucky State Police to recruit quality applicants and retain experienced troopers longer, directly effecting service to the Commonwealth.
In the past, factors such as funding and personnel compensation have resulted in fewer troopers at Kentucky State Police. The department currently maintains a force of only 900 sworn troopers despite authorization to employ 1,070.
In addition, the new pay scale establishes specific pay rates for each rank based on years of service.
Sanders said prior to passage of the bill, veteran troopers within the agency were compensated the same as newly commissioned troopers. But in an effort to prevent salaries from becoming stagnant, the new law provides pay adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index, a measure of inflation.
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