Medina police union: Competitive salaries needed to stop exodus of officers

Editor:

The Medina Police Benevolent Union Association is deeply disappointed by recent comments made by village leadership regarding officer retention and recruitment in a promotional announcement. These statements, which were delivered during what should have been a moment of celebration for two of our officers receiving well-deserved promotions.

Promotions are a time to recognize the dedication, hard work, and sacrifices that our officers make to serve this community. Instead, that moment was overshadowed by remarks suggesting that officers “complain” about wages and should simply be “thankful” to work in a community with a low crime rate.

Suggesting that officers should be “willing to forego higher salaries for an opportunity to work in a village that is relatively crime free” could only be made by someone who is uninformed of what it is that our officers actually do.

The excuse that the struggles with retention cannot be solved for reason of “the younger people want their money now” is false. The decision of younger officers to leave our department is not a reflection of entitlement, but rather of the economic realities and personal considerations that weigh heavily on all working professionals.

Such comments are dismissive of the real challenges we face and fail to acknowledge the professionalism and commitment our officers demonstrate daily. Retaining skilled and committed officers is essential to maintaining the safety and well-being of Medina residents.

In the past decade, our department has lost over 50% of its staffing to departments both within and outside of Orleans County, including the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Warsaw Police Department, Mount Morris Police Department, Batavia Police Department, Lockport City Police Department and Ogden Police Department.

With the loss of these officers which consisted of a 16-year experienced sergeant and other officers with five-plus years of experience comes the loss of a collective 50 years of law enforcement experience and training. These losses represent more than just numbers; they signify a critical depletion of law enforcement knowledge, expertise, and relationships built within the community. This exodus of officers is a direct result of the failure to provide competitive salaries and benefits, which are essential to retaining a skilled and committed police force.

While Medina enjoys a relatively low crime rate, the work of policing here is far from easy. Our officers regularly handle complex, high-stakes, violent situations, including assaults, mental health crises, drug-related investigations, domestic violence calls and traffic-related emergencies. These are often unseen by the public but are a testament to the skill and dedication required to keep our community safe.

Compounding the retention and recruitment issue is the fact that surrounding police departments with comparable or lower crime rates offer significantly higher compensation and better benefits. This disparity makes it increasingly difficult to attract and retain qualified officers who are seeking fair pay for their efforts.

It is also critical to note that the Medina Police Department officers have been and are currently operating without a contract since May 2023. Despite our repeated efforts to negotiate in good faith, we are now facing arbitration in January of 2025 because we cannot reach an agreement on compensation. This prolonged impasse not only affects our officers’ livelihoods but also sends a troubling message about the village’s commitment to fairly compensating those looking to potentially be hired here and those who dedicate their lives to protecting this community already.

The Medina Police Benevolent Union Association calls on village leaders to respect the contributions of our officers and to work collaboratively toward solutions that address the ongoing retention and recruitment crisis. Recognizing the value of our officers and ensuring competitive compensation are not only matters of fairness but also essential to maintaining the safety and security of our community.

We remain committed to serving the residents of Medina with integrity and professionalism, but we will not allow the hard work and sacrifices of our officers to be overshadowed by devaluing rhetoric. It is time for leadership to meet this issue with respect and action.  We hope the community we serve will support us in this thought as well.

This statement reflects the views of the members of The Medina Police Benevolent Union Association and does not represent the ideas, opinions, or positions of the Medina Police Department’s Administration staff.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully,

Medina Police Benevolent Union Association Leadership