Indy Police Angered By Council's Pay-Raise Plan

INDIANAPOLIS -- Police officers took to the street Monday night to protest a plan to boost the pay of city-county councilors days after officers were told they won't get a pay increase.

A new proposal would give members of the council a pay raise of 75 percent. Indianapolis police, who worked without a contract in 2006, are upset that a pay raise is not in the works, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

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Officers Upset About Council's Pay-Raise Plan

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The Fraternal Order of Police expected to distribute 20,000 leaflets to fans who attend the Indianapolis Colts' nationally televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals in a protest designed to put pressure on the city's leaders.

Police planned to take their protest directly to the public, angered that Mayor Bart Peterson spent what they consider their pay raise on something else.

"I don't even consider what we're doing a protest. It's an expression of these officers' anger toward Mayor Bart Peterson," said Aaron Sullivan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police.

According to the Peterson administration, the police pay raise went to finance the city's war on crime in the most violent period in more than a decade. The $4 million that had been earmarked for police was spent on, among other things, buying more jail beds for prisoners.

City officials blamed the FOP for voting down the wage offer just before the crime wave hit.

"When they voted it down, they voted it down," said Deputy Mayor Steve Campbell. "We had to move on and start budgeting for all the other things we need in the city."

An ordinance drafted by the council's Democratic leadership would increase compensation from 12 to 21 percent of the mayor's base pay of $96,000.

The net impact would increase the base pay by more than $8,500 a year, which makes up the 75 percent.

"It just stinks. This is exactly why people are cynical of politicians -- this kind of lack of responsibility for the taxpayers' money," said Republican Councilor Scott Schneider.

The council also borrowed against sewer tax revenue and raised Marion County's income tax rate to finance the war on crime.