MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Appropriations A
By: Representatives Cockerham, Anthony
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 45-1-12, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE SALARY SCALE FOR OFFICERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI HIGHWAY SAFETY PATROL AND THE MISSISSIPPI BUREAU OF NARCOTICS; TO PROVIDE FOR AN ANNUAL SALARY INCREASE FOR THE FIRST EIGHT YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY; TO PROVIDE FOR AN ADDITIONAL TIERED ANNUAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL PAY FOR OFFICERS WHO HOLD A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE OR GREATER FROM AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 45-1-12, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
45-1-12. (1) The salaries of all officers of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol who have completed the course of instruction in an authorized highway patrol training school on general law enforcement, and are serving as a sworn officer of the Highway Patrol in the enforcement of the laws of the State of Mississippi, including service in any other division of the Department of Public Safety, and the sworn law enforcement officers of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, shall be determined and paid in accordance with the scale for officers salaries as provided in this subsection:
Department of Public Safety Sworn Officers Salary Schedule
Rank Years of Experience
* * *
Less than 1 Less than 2 Less than 3 Less than 4
Trooper 60,000 62,000 64,000 66,000
Less than 5 Less than 6 Less than 7 Less than 8
Trooper
FC 68,000 70,000 71,000 72,000
Master
Sergeant 76,000 77,000 78,000
Lieutenant 84,000
Less than 9 Less than 10 Less than 11 Less than 12
Trooper
FC II 73,000 74,000 75,000 76,000
Master
Sergeant 79,000 80,000 81,000 82,000
Lieutenant 85,000 86,000 87,000 88,000
Less than 13 Less than 14 Less than 15 Less than 16
Corporal 77,000 78,000 79,000 80,000
Master
Sergeant 83,000 84,000 85,000 86,000
Lieutenant 89,000 90,000 91,000 92,000
Captain (Admin) 105,000
Captain (Troop) 115,000
Major 125,000
Lt. Colonel 135,000
Colonel 150,000
Less than 18 Less than 20 Less than 22 Less than 24
Corporal II 81,000 82,000
Sergeant 83,000 84,000
Master
Sergeant 87,000 88,000 89,000 90,000
Lieutenant 93,000 94,000 95,000 96,000
24 and Above
Senior Sergeant 90,000
Master Sergeant 96,000
Lieutenant 102,000
Department of Public Safety/MS Bureau of Narcotics
Sworn Officers Salary Schedule
Rank Years of Experience
* * *
Less than 1 Less than 2 Less than 3 Less than 4
LE-Agent I 60,000 62,000 64,000 66,000
Less than 5 Less than 6 Less than 7 Less than 8
LE-Agent II 68,000 70,000 71,000 72,000 Less than 13 Less than 14 Less than 15 Less than 16
LE-Agent III 77,000
LE-Agent IV 78,000 79,000 80,000 Less than 18 Less than 20 Less than 22 Less than 24
LE-Agent V 81,000 82,000
LE-Agent VI 83,000 84,000
(2) All sworn officers in the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics employed on a full-time basis shall be paid a salary in accordance with the above scale. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any rank of any sworn officer not based upon a merit-based promotion or years of experience shall be at the will and pleasure of the appointing authority as approved by the State Personnel Board. The rank and years of experience of each sworn officer to be used in establishing the salary shall be determined by the rank and years of experience on July 1 of the current fiscal year.
(3) For purposes of applying the rank designation to the above scale, the following job classifications of the State Personnel Board shall be applicable for the Mississippi Highway Patrol:
Rank Job Classes
(a) Trooper DPS-Highway Patrol Officer I
LE-Investigator II
(b) Trooper First Class DPS-Highway Patrol Officer II
LE-Investigator III
(c) Corporal DPS-Highway Patrol Officer III
LE-Investigator IV
(d) Sergeant DPS-Highway Patrol Officer IV
LE-Investigator V
(e) Staff Sergeant DPS-Highway Patrol Officer V
(f) Senior Staff Sergeant DPS-Highway Patrol Officer VI
Tech Spec
(g) Master Sgt/Sgt. F/C DPS-Assistant Inspector
DPS-Highway Patrol Officer VII
DPS-Investigator I
DPS-Supv. Driver Serv.
(h) Lieutenant DPS-Air Operations Officer
DPS-Dir. Corr. Intelligence
DPS-Dist. Executive Officer
DPS-Regional Supv. Driver. Serv.
DPS-Branch Director
LE-Dir/Training
LE-Dist. Investigator
(i) Captain DPS-Staff Officer (MHP)
(j) Major DPS-Bureau Director II
(k) Lt. Colonel DPS-Deputy Administrator;
DPS-Chief of Staff
(l) Colonel/Chief of Patrol Dir-Office of MS Hwy Safety Patrol
(4) For purposes of applying the rank designation to the above scale, the following job classifications of the State Personnel Board shall be applicable for the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics:
Rank Job Classes
(a) Agents LE-Agent I
LE-Agent II
LE-Agent III
LE-Agent IV
LE-Agent V
LE-Agent VI
(b) Lieutenant BN-District Investigator (LT)
(c) Captain BN-District Commander
(d) Major BN-Bureau Director II
Office Director I
(e) Lt. Colonel BN-Deputy Administrator
(f) Colonel Director, Bureau of Narcotics
(5) In addition to the salary provided in accordance with the above scale, officers shall be paid an additional annual sum for carrying one or more of the following degrees from an accredited college or university:
Degree Additional Sum
(a) Associate's 1,200
(b) Bachelor's 2,400
(c) Master's 3,600
In no event shall any officer be entitled to more than a single additional annual sum pursuant to this paragraph, regardless of the number of collegiate degrees they may hold.
( * * *6) In any fiscal year after July 1, 2015,
in the event the Legislature provides across-the-board salary increases to state
employees whose compensation is paid from the State General Fund and subject to
specific appropriation therefor by the Legislature, the State Personnel Board shall
revise the salary scale above to provide the same percentage or dollar amount increase
as has been appropriated for other state employees.
( * * *7) It shall be the duty of the Mississippi
Department of Public Safety to file with the Legislative Budget Office and the State
Fiscal Officer such data and information as may be required to enable the * * * Legislative Budget Office and State Fiscal
Officer to budget and distribute the funds necessary to compensate the sworn officers
of the Department of Public Safety according to the requirements of the salary scale.
* * * The
data and information so filed may be revised from time to time as necessitated to
reflect the current number and experience of sworn officers employed by the department.
( * * *8) The Commissioner of Public Safety, with
approval by the State Personnel Board, is authorized to set the salaries equitably
of sworn law enforcement officers assigned to the Commercial Transportation Enforcement
Division and Capitol Police based upon the pay scale contained in this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.