Kinston Police Department raises starting salaries for officers

KINSTON, N.C. (WITN) -The Kinston Police Department is raising starting salaries for officers by nearly 25%. It’s the first pay raise in more than five years.

Corporal Jay Moody says he can’t even remember the last time that happened.

“It’s been a while, I can tell you that,” Moody said.

The starting salary for a Kinston Police Officer was $32,000 and is now bumped up to more than $40,000. Along with pay raises, the department will also be adding tuition assistance, take-home vehicles, and gym memberships.

Moody says the reason behind the pay increase is to help recruit and retain officers.

“Everyone knows there’s a shortage in law enforcement right now,” Moody said. “Everyone is doing what they can to hire candidates. It’s a huge boost for us to compete on a pay level with other surrounding agencies.”

Starting salaries to be a police officer in major ENC cities:

Greenville- $40,000

New Bern- $38,000

Jacksonville- $35,000

Detective Joshua Williams has been working for Kinston police for nearly six years. He says the pay raise will definitely keep him around for much longer.

“I think that’s great as far as retention,” Williams said. “Keeping people here, keeping me here at the police department. I love Kinston. Mainly because it’s family. We’re not a very big department but we look after our own and one thing about Kinston, everybody knows everybody.”

The department is looking to hire six new police officers, during a time when it’s hard to hire anyone.

The Kinston Police Department will be hosting a hiring event on Saturday from 9:30 a.m.- to 4 p.m. at their office on East King street.

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