Munster Police officers will get a second — and in many cases, a third — raise for 2024 while the rest of the town’s employees get their first.
The Town Council at its Monday night meeting approved unanimously on second reading its salary ordinance, which gives all town non-sworn employees a 3% raise. The raise comes after the town conducted over the summer a salary and benefits study to make sure Munster is in line with best practices, Interim Town Manager Patricia Abbott said, and a few non-sworn employees may get a bit higher of a raise to bring them in line with the salary reclassifications.
The police, however, will also get a 3% raise, after the council gave them a salary bump at the first of the year upon taking office. The council then approved in August increases that gave First Class officers a 6% to 21% raise, bringing their average salaries to $88,000 from $84,000; sergeants a 5% to 15% raise; and Police Chief Steve Scheckel who, according to the Indiana Gateway was paid $122,844.14 in 2023, a $25,000 raise.
Probationary and Second Class officers, however, weren’t included in the August raises.
The August police raises, which totaled $400,000, are being covered by a combination of the town’s TIF district and removing the officers’ car stipends, though they do have take-home cars instead, the Post-Tribune previously reported.
Council President David Nellans, R-4, asked Abbott how the town fared with its benefits analysis; Munster’s benefits package is “robust,” she said, but the town will be adding a number of no-cost suggestions as well as asking the employees what they’d like to see added.
The council also approved purchasing six new squad cars — at an initial cost of $291,483.50, to be paid out of the TIF — to “accommodate the six additional officers” the town seeks to hire. It previously approved the purchase of 20 new police vehicles, also to be paid out of the TIF.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
