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	Black Pushes Pay Hike For Deputies And Police

Just back from the 1999 Legislative Session in Richmond, Delegate Dick Black addressed the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, urging higher pay for the County's deputy sheriffs and for Leesburg's town police.

Black joined Republican County Chairman, Tom Berezoski, in seeking higher pay for deputy sheriffs and police. The Board of Supervisors is considering how to spend $600,000
it will receive from the state this July. Various options include spending the money to hire additional officers, purchasing equipment, or increasing pay. Although the County will only deal with the pay of deputy sheriffs, the issue is linked with possible pay increases for Leesburg town police.

"These officers deserve this pay," said Berezoski. "We have 600 deputies and 1,800 family members relying on this raise," he explained. Berezoski said that last year's 4% pay raise was inadequate since deputies' pay had lagged too long. "I was distressed when someone suggested our deputies might need to use new affordable housing units. They shouldn't have to depend on low income housing for
their families," he said.




			"We must give our law enforcement community the pay they deserve for putting their lives on the line"- Black


	Delegate Black said that Governor Gilmore held meetings with legislators at the Executive Mansion on November 11,1999 to discuss budget proposals, including law enforcement pay hikes. Although Governor Jim Gilmore put no strings on how the money could be spent by localities, Black explained that the legislators' clear intent was to provide much-needed pay raises for deputies and police.


	"We gave State Troopers a big pay raise in 1998. We felt that if we gave a substantial boost to localities this year, they could hike pay for police and deputies to compete with our State Troopers," said Black.

In addition to the $600,000 in state money the County will get for its Sheriff's Department, the Town of Leesburg will receive almost $360,000 for its Police Department. The legislature intends to provide this level
of new money each year. Delegate Black suggested that the County should spend their new funds
on pay raises and that they should coordinate with the Town of Leesburg to ensure pay equity between deputies and Town Police. This would avoid shifting personnel between the two political jurisdictions.