Puerto Rico announces second phase of police salary increases
Gov. Jenniffer González Colón said the payments, retroactive to Aug. 1, will reach 6,449 officers on Oct. 30 or 31 and be accompanied by a longevity bonus in December.
PhotoThe short version
- El Nuevo Día reported that Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced the second phase of salary increases for police on Wednesday, benefiting 6,449 officers
- El Nuevo Día reports the first phase on Aug. 1 impacted 5,317 officers with up to $465 monthly increases using $33 million
- Primera Hora reported the first phase occurred on July 1 and impacted 5,121 officers with increases of up to $465 per month
- Both outlets report the second phase will cost $16 million with monthly increases between roughly $163 and $268
Second phase payments
Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced on Wednesday the implementation of the second phase of salary increases for members of the Puerto Rico Police. El Nuevo Día reported the measure will benefit 6,449 officers in ranks from agent to captain. The payments, which range between $162.92 and $268.17 extra per month, will be retroactive to Aug. 1 and deposited on Oct. 30 according to El Nuevo Día, or on Oct. 31 according to Primera Hora.
El Nuevo Día reported that the governor made the announcement in a live Facebook transmission accompanied by Police Superintendent Joseph González Falcón and Office of Management and Budget Director Orlando Rivera Berríos. The second phase covers members who did not receive an adjustment in the first phase or who received an annual adjustment below $2,000. González Colón said the government is working with $16 million for this phase.
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First phase details and longevity bonus
According to El Nuevo Día, the first phase on Aug. 1 disbursed $33 million to more than 5,317 police officers who received adjustments of $465 per month. Primera Hora reported that on July 1 some 5,121 officers received the increases. Both outlets reported that the scales had not been reviewed since 2005. González Colón said she is fulfilling a promise to review the salary scales.
Primera Hora reported that the governor also announced a longevity bonus for officers marking five, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years of service. The bonus represents 10 percent of the officer's monthly salary, will be paid once in December and will cost the government about $760,513 per year. It will benefit 1,462 officers, the outlet reported. González Colón added that overtime pay value will also increase.
Where the sources differ
The sources agree that Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced the second phase on Wednesday, that it is retroactive to Aug. 1, benefits 6,449 officers, costs $16 million and provides monthly increases between roughly $163 and $268. Both name the same officials present. El Nuevo Día states the first phase occurred on Aug. 1 with 5,317 officers and $33 million; Primera Hora states it occurred on July 1 with 5,121 officers and does not mention the $33 million. Primera Hora alone reports the longevity bonus details including the 10 percent amount, $760,513 annual cost and 1,462 recipients. El Nuevo Día reports the payment on Oct. 30 while Primera Hora reports Oct. 31.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state the exact total cost of both phases combined, whether all 6,449 officers will ultimately receive the payments after eligibility validation, the precise distribution of the longevity bonus by years of service or any comments from police unions on whether the amounts are sufficient for retention.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Entre $162 y $268 extra al mes: Jenniffer González anuncia pago de aumento salarial a policías en segunda fase
- Reporting Entre $162 y $268 extra al mes: Jenniffer González anuncia pago de aumento salarial a policías en segunda fase
- Reporting Anuncian segunda fase de aumento de salario para policías y un bono de longevidad
How we checked this
El Nuevo Día and Primera Hora both reported the core announcement by Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and the participation of Superintendent Joseph González and OMB Director Orlando Rivera. The first-phase date, exact officer count and $33 million figure rest on a single source each, as does the full detail on the longevity bonus.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.