MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - The Monroe Police Department faces a change in budget starting this week.
Each month a percentage of the department's budget is contributed to the Municipal Police Employee Retirement System.
This month the contribution has increased significantly from 26% in June to 31%.
Director of Administration David Barnes says that the city has faced similar increases in the past. "In 2004-2005 the increase happened. They went from like 12 to almost 21... It was a shocker to us."
By learning from their mistakes, the city was able to plan ahead to accommodate the increase for this year.
"If we are over our budget as far as pension, it's better to be over cautious than under cautious and have a deficit," says Barnes.
Police officers retiring, accepting furloughs, and even leaving the department in the past few years, along with budget revisions have helped provide enough compensation to keep department on budget for 2012.
Monday, June 17 2013 12:40 PM EDT2013-06-17 16:40:49 GMT
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Since May, María Fernanda Blanco Pérez has taken more than 2,500 photographs of turtles and other animals at Black Bayou Lake.
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News) - Since May, María Fernanda Blanco Pérez has taken more than 2,500 photographs of turtles and other animals at Black Bayou Lake.
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