Public safety is the city’s most fundamental responsibility

Good evening, council members and city staff. My name is John Cerqueira, and I serve as the Executive Director of Citizens for a Safe and Secure Raleigh. As we are in budget season and engaging in important conversations around public safety,  I’m here tonight to urge bold action in regards to law enforcement.

A News and Observer article on February 24 claims Raleigh has “a crime problem” with crime increasing between 2020 and 2024, while surrounding towns earned excellent safety ratings. 

The truth is that Raleigh’s police department is under-resourced, and without material increases in pay and headcount, our city remains at risk.

Specifically, I ask that the next budget increases police salaries to be the highest in the region and that it initiates a budgeted headcount increase of 400 additional officers over the next 4-5 years to meet the needs of our growing city. 

In regards to pay, I applaud our recent progress in recruitment to address our years-long vacancy issue. Unfortunately we have a pattern of officers joining our department and then leaving for other departments, shortly after training, citing low pay.  For reference, the starting salary for a Raleigh police officer is $55,000 while Cary and Apex start officers at just over $60,000. The average officer salary in Charlotte is roughly $20,000 more than Raleigh.

A public opinion poll last year revealed that public safety is the top concern for Raleigh citizens and 75% of respondents supported a substantial police pay increase.

Chief Rico Boyce has already emphasized that pay is directly tied to retention – and that retention, in turn, improves recruitment. When we take care of our officers, they become our best recruiters. 

Beyond meeting our current budgeted headcount, the city’s own 2020 staffing study found that Raleigh should have roughly 400 more police personnel to meet community needs. 

Without sufficient resources, every resident in the city is at risk. 

The result is longer response times, fewer proactive patrols and limited crime prevention efforts.  

The impact on businesses is also clear. The Raleigh Merchant Association has shared that concerns about crime, particularly in Downtown, continue to affect employers, employees, and would-be-customers of businesses and events.

We also have members of the Raleigh Hospitality Alliance representing hotel operators who have voiced concern over vehicle break-ins throughout the city and the ripple effect negative guest experiences have on future business. 

To reference Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, everything that allows us to enjoy life in our city relies upon a foundation of safety.

Public safety is the city’s most fundamental responsibility that we must meet by increasing police headcount and leading the region in pay. I urge you to pass a budget that achieves that goal. 

Our city’s future depends on it. 

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