Hefty pay raise coming for Atlanta Police officers

ATLANTA - Atlanta city leaders committed to doing something to keep police on patrol in the city instead of leaving by the hundreds to go to work elsewhere.

Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has found $10 million in cuts from the current budget to reallocate those funds for police raises. That cash will go to patrol officers and what the department designates and SPOs or senior police officers.

The money could be in the hands of those officers by Christmas. And it would be an extra $10,000 for each of the officers.

The department currently is more than 400 short of the authorized strength of 2,000.

Lt. Steve Zygag, usually a staunch critic, spoke up during the finance committee meeting to thank the city officials.

Councilman Howard Shook, a senior member of the body, said it was the first time he could remember that an administration took seriously the notion that the officers are underpaid compared to the other departments in Georgia.