The St. Joseph County Police have seen surrounding departments get raises, and now they’re saying it’s their turn.

Sheriff William Redman says other departments have jumped ahead of the County, and that leads to concerns about retaining the officers they have trained.

The department and the F.O.P. are asking the St. Joseph County Council to consider finding room for a 4% increase in officer pay for 2020. Even then, Sheriff Redman says his officers will stay make about $5,000 less than a first-year police officer in Mishawaka.