COURT HOUSE – Responding to a sharp decline in applications for the position of Class II police officer, Middle Township is doing what employers, both public and private, are doing across the county – raising the wage.
At a Feb. 23 Middle Township Committee meeting, the municipality approved an increase in the hourly raise for Class II officers to $20 per hour. As recently as fall 2021, new Class II officers were being hired at $15 per hour.
Class II officers are considered part-time hourly employees. It is often a position sought by individuals who eventually hope to become full-time officers.
At the Feb. 23 meeting, Police Chief Christopher Leusner pointed to a large decline in applications for police officer positions across the state, including State Police. Departments are now frequently faced with declining numbers of applicants and a high number of retirements.
