By Ray King

A resolution increasing the salary of Pine Bluff’s Police Chief from $90,152 to $115,000 received a do-not-pass recommendation from the City Council’s Administration Committee Friday afternoon.

Committee members Lloyd Holcomb, Jr., and Glen Brown, Sr., were joined by Councilmembers Joni Alexander, Ivan Whitfield, Steven Shaner, and Glen Brown, Jr., for the special called meeting, which was conducted on Zoom.

The resolution was proposed by Mayor Shirley Washington, who was seeking the higher figure that the only candidate for the position, Robert Jones, said he would accept. Jones was one of 31 applicants for the job which is currently held at Chief Kelvin Sergeant, who is retiring at the end of June.

Brown, Sr., said there were five or six reasons he opposed the legislation, then mentioned what he called his main one.

Alexander said its obvious salaries for police officers are too low to attract viable candidates.

Washington responded to that by saying.

A special meeting of the City Council has been scheduled for Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the convention center.

Brown, Jr., who is chairman of the Public Safety Committee, also discussed the $115,000 the mayor was requesting.

Washington said at this point, it’s unclear if Jones is going to take the job.