Milwaukee police pay: Union protests, activists counter-protest

MILWAUKEE - The latest fight over millions of tax dollars sparked dueling protests in downtown Milwaukee on Friday. The Milwaukee police union wants a pay raise, while an activist group says "no way."

Union protests for raise

What they're saying:

The Milwaukee Police Association and the city have not agreed to a contract since the last one ran out in 2022. As of Friday, there’s still no deal. And the union took the rare step of protesting.

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Through government records, FOX6 News found Milwaukee’s final offer was a pay increase of roughly 9% over three years. The union wanted a 12.75% raise, including back pay.

"We’re trying to get a fair wage," said Alex Ayala, Milwaukee Police Association president. "This is what Milwaukee police officers have to deal with on a daily basis: street takeovers, shootings, homicides – we see the worst of the worst."

"I value our police officers," said Mayor Cavalier Johnson. "Look, the offer that the city has before the MPA right now would give them a raise that is a little more than double what general city employees have gotten in the last couple of years, so I think we're being very fair, very generous to the MPA."

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Patty Jerving, the mother of fallen Officer Peter Jerving, joined the MPA protest.

"General city employees do not risk their lives every time they punch their time clock, like our officers do," he said.

What's next:

Arbitration is set for Sept. 22 on the contract from 2023-2025. 

BLOC counter-protest

The other side:

While members of the Milwaukee police union protested, counter-protesters gathered at Red Arrow Park and inside city hall.

Black Leaders Organizing for Communities chanted "no more money for MPD." The counter-protest called for the city to spend the money elsewhere – like education, housing and health care.

"At this point, MPD eats up about 50% of the city budget, and I don’t really think we see a return on that investment," said counter-protester Ron Jansen. "In fact, it prevents us from spending money on things that actually provides public safety.

"They could invest in jobs programs that clean up our neighborhoods or help people improve their homes. There are a myriad of ways that the city could spend their money instead of the way they are now that would drastically improve people’s lives."

BLOC said the city’s budget already heavily favors the police department.

"If you look around the city right now, the current spending means that we have roads that are almost undrivable in some neighborhoods," said Jansen. "We have, you know, very little services that actually improve people's lives here in Milwaukee. And so every additional dollar that goes toward police spending is taken away from those other opportunities."

Officer pay

By the numbers:

The MPA said officers deserve to be the highest paid in Wisconsin. Right now, their pay ranges from roughly $63,000 to $84,000 per year. That’s less than officers earn at several departments in the area.

"Other jurisdictions are offering more, and that’s why officers are leaving the Milwaukee Police Department to work for a different jurisdiction," said Ayala.

"I want police officers to get a raise, too. They deserve it. But we have to do it within reason. And that's exactly what we're seeking to do," said Johnson.

What police departments pay officers

• Milwaukee: $63,534-84,743
• Brown Deer: $65,029.50-$89,775.52
• Kenosha: $71,436.00-$91,356.00
• Menomonee Falls: $77,521.60-$93,641.60
• Shorewood: $73,077.00-$92,720.00
• Thiensville: $63,949.60-$85,263.36
• Waukesha: $71,494.02-$88,530.00
• West Allis: $62,767.04-$94,299.52
• Whitefish Bay: $69,095.82-$94,268.58

Dig deeper:

The union complained that Johnson gave himself a 15% pay raise. 

"We’re not worth a 12.75% raise and the mayor gives himself a 15% raise?" Ayala said.

In truth, the 15% raise was for all elected city leaders, and it did not start until after the mayoral election in 2024. It was also the first raise for elected city leaders since 2008.