MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) – Multiple Memphis police officers are handing in letters of resignation, citing recent decisions by city council to alter benefit and pension plans.
According to Memphis Police Association President Michael Williams, close to 200 officers have resigned from the Memphis Police Department in the past year.
“People are leaving because they are tired of going through this maze with this city,” said Williams.
The city council recently voted in favor of a Hybrid Pension Plan that among other things, “grandfathers in” employees with 7.5 years of service or more. The plan will reportedly save the city more than $6 million a year.
“To pull people in, qualified, quality individuals, is to restore the benefits,” Williams said.
The Memphis Police Association Facebook page shows multiple resignation letters submitted just this week from officers.
“They just aren’t giving officers any benefit to stay on the job anymore,” said a recently resigned Memphis officer.
The officer says his decision to leave the force only took days to make, citing the changes to benefit and pension plans by city council as the main reason for leaving.
He says the changes did not provide the stability he wanted in a job.
“Go out and do their job, feel comfortable and safe to go out and do their job, their families are going to be supported if something happens to them,” the officer added.
More resignations are forthcoming before the end of January.