By Kyle Coppola
Leesburg Boosts Pay, Benefits for Police Officers in Show of Support
The City of Leesburg has approved a significant pay raise and pension increase for its police officers, underscoring a renewed commitment to supporting law enforcement.
Beginning Oct. 1, Leesburg Police Department officers will receive a 6% salary increase. The starting salary for new officers will rise to $66,255, and those certified in Florida will receive a $5,000 hiring bonus. Experienced officers may begin at a salary between $70,000 and $76,000, depending on qualifications.
In addition to the pay increases, the City Commission has approved an enhancement to the department’s pension plan. Officers will now be eligible for a pension benefit of 81.25% at normal retirement, up from the current 75%.
Mayor Alan Reisman praised the move, calling it a reflection of the city’s support for its officers.
“As Mayor, I couldn’t be prouder to stand behind the incredible men and women of the Leesburg Police Department,” Reisman said. “These changes show that our City Commission, management team, and community value the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices our officers make to keep Leesburg safe.”
The pay and pension improvements come amid a nationwide push to recruit and retain quality officers in local law enforcement. City officials hope the competitive compensation package will attract both new recruits and experienced officers.
The Leesburg Police Department is actively recruiting. More information is available at www.LeesburgPolice.com.
One Comment
Leave A Comment
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
I would also suggest teaching them de escalation tactics when it comes to autistic people, especially since there is a campus for autistic students around the corner from the Leesburg PD. Life stream is not the answer for autism