Last week, the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association sent out a brutal press release accusing Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney and other members of the City Commission of wanting to “defund the police.”
Florida Jolt published the PBA release as we do many press releases we disagree with, but the accusations were absurd and a clumsy, transparent attempt to intimidate local politicians with the dreaded “defund the police” slur.
Mayor Carney responded in an email to the people of Delray:
Dear Delray Beach Residents,
As your Mayor, I have always supported the brave men and women of the Delray Beach Police Department who put their lives on the line to keep our community safe. They deserve fair pay, strong benefits, and the resources to do their jobs effectively.
But let’s be clear…this isn’t about public safety. This is about a small group of senior officers trying to take advantage of the system at the expense of Delray Beach taxpayers and even their fellow officers.
The 8-year DROP extension the police union is demanding will force higher taxes on you—not to hire more officers, not to improve public safety, but to line the pockets of a select few with a deal that is simply unsustainable.
Related: Palm Beach County PBA Slams ‘Intransigent and Irresponsible’ Delray City Commission
The Reality of This Deal
If approved, this extension would allow senior officers to collect their full salaries while simultaneously receiving at least 70% of that salary in retirement benefits, for eight additional years.
Here’s what that really means:
- An officer earning $100,000 per year would continue collecting their full salary for eight extra years while also banking at least $70,000 per year in retirement benefits.
- That results in a minimum of $560,000 in extra payouts per officer, on top of their full salary.
- The true cost is even higher, as our HR Department has confirmed these estimates are conservative.
This is not sustainable, and more importantly, it is not fair—not to taxpayers, not to city employees, and not to the younger officers in the department who are being left behind.
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Who’s Really Being Defunded?
The police union wants you to believe they are being defunded, but the reality is, they are trying to defund our city.
To fund this deal, we would have to raise taxes on residents while pulling resources away from:
- Road repairs and infrastructure improvements
- Parks and public services
- Emergency response and safety initiatives
And who is paying the price within the department? The next generation of officers. While union leadership fights for excessive retirement benefits for a small group of senior officers, the younger officers in our department are the ones who will be left behind:
- Fewer resources to do their jobs
- Stalled promotions because senior officers won’t retire
- A weakened pension system that threatens their own future benefits
The officers who will suffer most from this deal are not the ones demanding it; it’s their fellow officers.
A City That Already Offers Generous Benefits
Let’s not forget, Delray Beach already provides some of the most competitive compensation packages in the state. In addition to strong salaries and pensions, officers receive free access to the Delray Beach Wellness Center-a benefit most cities don’t even offer that comes with free medication.
I remain committed to supporting our police officers, but I will not stand by while a privileged few attempt to force this city into higher taxes and financial instability.
I encourage every resident and every officer to ask the hard questions, demand transparency, and hold union leadership accountable for the choices they are making.
This is your city, your future, and your tax dollars, and I will continue fighting to protect them.
Sincerely,
Mayor Tom Carney
City of Delray Beach
This email was not sent with taxpayer funds.
Other stories you may want to read:
- Former Mayor Jablin Speaks Out on Palm Beach Gardens Council Race - March 5, 2025
- BIZPAC of PBC Elects NewExecutive Committee and Trustees - March 2, 2025
- Delray Mayor Tom Carney: Does the Police Union Want to Defund Our City? - February 24, 2025