Escondido residents might see an increase in crime next year if contract negotiations favor city officials’ budget plans.
The plans include a 3 percent pay cut and less generous pensions for new Escondido police hires as a way to balance the city’s budget, according to an article by our media partner, the North County Times.
Chief Jim Maher and some members of the police labor union said if the plans are imposed, quality young officers would move to other, higher paying cities that offer better benefits.
"My concern is we're going to become a training ground," Maher told residents at a public forum Tuesday. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe this was a crisis for the department."
For more details on Escondido Police pay, read the rest of the story here.
