Walker Says Pay Raise For Capitol Police Chief Is ‘Reasonable’

Gov. Scott Walker says giving Capitol Police Chief David Erwin a nearly 12-percent raise was “reasonable”, but his office will review the method.

A recent report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found that the Department of Administration moved Erwin and his chief deputy to “phantom positions”, which only existed on paper in order to give bigger raises than Wisconsin’s Civil Service System allows for public workers.

Walker says he wasn’t personally involved in the DOA’s decision but says it makes sense that Erwin is now getting the same wage his predecessor did. “I think regardless of the method that most people would find that to be reasonable,” says Walker. “In terms of the process, we’ll review that.”

Walker didn’t say how or when a review might happen. In June, the Joint Committee on Employment Relations approved a pay plan submitted by Walker that included a one percent raise for most state employees.