Virginia state police, deputies, cite dire straits in call for raises

Law enforcement salary issues are coming to a head for state leaders, even as budget writers look for the cuts to fill a revenue hole.

The head of the Virginia State Police has told legislators that troopers are leaving the force in big numbers for better paying jobs, including jobs at local departments with higher starting salaries. Col. Steven Flaherty has called pay issues at VSP "a stark reality being experienced across every section of the department."

He has 257 vacancies on a sworn force of 2,148.

The Virginia Sheriff's Association says some starting deputy salaries are back below thresholds for food stamp qualifications, just two years after a budgetary push to address this exact issue. The problem isn't statewide, but in counties that don't supplement base deputy pay levels set out by the state.

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