Harrisburg police car. File photo.
Harrisburg’s Police Bureau is proposing bolstering tactics to recruit officers.
Capt. Kyle Gautsch, during a Monday media briefing, said that a proposed raise included in union negotiations would be a “big step” in getting Harrisburg’s police salaries closer to those of surrounding cities.
Harrisburg’s 2026-28 collective bargaining agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge No. 12, the bureau’s union representation, is slated for City Council consideration on Tuesday. The biggest change would be 7% raises each year for three years, doubling the 3.5% annual raise awarded the past three years.
According to Gautsch, the raises would get Harrisburg, which has struggled to compete with higher salaries of police departments in comparable third-class cities, into the “ballpark” of their wages.
For years, Harrisburg has struggled to recruit and retain officers. In a February report, the bureau said that about a quarter of its sworn personnel positions were vacant last year. Officer shortage is a trending issue nationally, as well. Gautsch explained that, with officer shortages, recruitment is more competitive, allowing applicants to be choosier when accepting a job offer.
“I’m encouraged that this will hopefully help the retention, but also recruitment,” he said. “This will hopefully ensure we have more people coming in than going out.”
Patrol officers in their fifth year of employment with the city currently make about $75,000. If the proposed pay raises are approved, they would make about $80,200 in 2026, about $85,800 in 2027, and about $91,800 in 2028.
Gautsch said that he believes several nearby cities’ salaries are already at around the $90,000 mark for an officer at five years, so Harrisburg would still be behind, but not as far behind.
Gautsch also said that the city is considering legislation that would allow “lateral transfers.” That would let experienced officers transfer to Harrisburg with a starting salary that reflects their years of service, although they would still start at day-one in terms of seniority.
That potential new policy, combined with proposed pay raises, could make a difference with recruitment, Gautsch said.
He added that the bureau is weighing the possibility of changing from eight-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts, which would give officers more days off, though that is still just a proposal.
City Council is slated to discuss the collective bargaining agreement Tuesday and would be required to vote on the legislation at a future legislative session in order for the contract to go into effect.
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