Memphis Police Call In Sick To Protest Benefit Cuts While Mayor, Police Chief Make $100k+

It is a nightmare in America’s second most dangerous city as more than 500 police officers called in sick Monday (July 7) to protest cuts to healthcare benefits.

The situation has continued into Tuesday in Memphis, Tenn., National Public Radio reported.

Quoting The Commercial Appeal (which is behind a paywall), NPR said 552 officers called in sick on Monday out of the city’s total police force of 2,218. That’s one in four cops, or 25% of the force, calling in sick.

NPR went into some detail in explaining why the call ins are happening while the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department is patrolling popular areas of town, like Beale Street, and other not so desirable sections of the city.

“Last month, the Memphis City Council that increased employee health insurance premiums by 24 percent, as of October. The package also took away some health care subsidies for retirees over the age of 65.

“The changes will affect all city employees, but police officers and firefighters have been the most vocal in. So far, though, members of the police force are alone in staging a de facto work stoppage.”

CNN reported that the city’s supplement to worker’s health coverage has been up to 70% in recent years, meaning that the city’s decision to cut that for members of the police department will have a major impact on pay for Memphis police officers.

Salary.com said the average salary of a police patrolman in the city of Memphis is $49,372 though it is unknown what take home for those officers is once retirement contributions and healthcare were taken out.

In a non-paywalled data section of its website, The Commercial Appeal reported that Memphis’ Director of Police Services Toney C. Armstrong earns an annual salary of $120,180.06. Mayor A.C. Wharton’s annual salary is $162,925.20.

Considering the high salary for both the director of police services and the mayor, some Memphis residents are demanding both men’s salaries be cut, CNN reported.

“‘Let’s start up on top. Let’s cut the mayor’s salary. Let’s cut some of his assistant’s salaries, then let’s cut from some of those making these decisions,’ said [resident] Calvin Harris. ‘Then, we see where we need to go from there.'”

The hundreds of Memphis police officers who called in sick may find that their stand on principle may cost them their jobs, Armstrong told NPR.

“Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong said Monday he’ll expect to see doctors’ notes from those officers who have been out, and said his administration will deal with them on a case-by-case basis.

“‘We have the authority to discipline anyone found to be in violation of the city’s policy, up to and including termination,’ Mayor Wharton said in a statement. ‘Thankfully, public safety has not been compromised at this point, and we intend to do whatever is necessary to keep it that way.'”

What do you think? Is it right to cut benefits so drastically while the mayor and police chief are earning six figure salaries? Let us know in the comments section.

[Image via Flickr Creative Commons]