The Amherst City Council has approved a pay adjustment for police leadership positions to correct what officials described as a long-standing gap between ranks. The decision came during the finance committee meeting on November 3, where members voted 7–0 to advance the measure with emergency status.
Before the change, the pay difference between sergeant and lieutenant was about five dollars per hour, while the gap between lieutenant and chief was twelve to thirteen dollars per hour. Under the new structure, both differences will now be about eight dollars and fifty cents per hour. The lieutenant’s new hourly rate will be approximately $55.18, though the full annual salary was not provided.
The ordinance establishes a 3.5 percent pay increase in 2026, followed by three percent raises in 2027 and 2028. The pay change applies specifically to the police chief and lieutenant positions. Other ranks are covered under separate union contracts, which were tabled for later review because the city had not yet received finalized agreements from the unions.
No objections were raised during the meeting, and the measure passed unanimously. Council members did not discuss the total cost of the adjustment or provide an estimate of the overall financial impact on taxpayers.
The ordinance was advanced with emergency status, meaning it will take effect immediately after final passage by the full council rather than waiting through multiple readings. The exact date of the full council vote was not announced, but city officials indicated that all remaining pay ordinances are expected to be finalized before the end of the year.
The adjustment is intended to make promotions within the Amherst Police Department more balanced and appealing to qualified officers, correcting a pay structure that city officials said had discouraged advancement in recent years.