INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — Talks are underway between the Indian River County Sheriff's Office and the International Union of Police Associations over a new contract. At the center of the negotiations are a proposed 22% pay increase for deputies.
Right now, deputies in the county start at a salary of just over $50,000 a year. The new proposal would raise that starting salary to $61,585.
WATCH BELOW: Indian River County sheriff pushes to increase pay for deputies
Step 11 deputies — those with the most experience — could earn as much as $94,808.
Sheriff Eric Flowers posted a video on social media earlier this week, saying the department is struggling to retain talent and must offer more competitive wages to keep pace with neighboring agencies.
"It's been a long time coming that we take care of our first responders — the people that protect you every night while you're asleep," Flowers said in the video.
Currently, Indian River County deputies earn the second-lowest salary for law enforcement officers on the Treasure Coast, just ahead of officers in Sebastian. The sheriff said that's driving deputies to leave for better-paying departments.
While the salary increase marks one of the largest proposed in the agency's history, most of the union's additional requests were rejected.
"We're rejecting that proposal," a sheriff’s office representative said during the first public forum. "We're trying to put all of our money into wages."
Corrections officers, who also stand to benefit from the proposed raises, were present at the meeting.
The final decision will fall to the Indian River County Commission, which must approve the sheriff’s budget by Oct. 1.
