NEW YORK, NY March 22, 2007 —Starting on April 1st, the city's rookie firefighters will earn $10,000 a year more than rookie police officers. That starting date, April Fool's Day, is not something that's escaped the notice of police officers. The cops' starting salary was set by an arbitration panel when negotiations broke down during the last contract cycle.

Both sides agree the salary is too low, but negotiations over how much to raise it have not gone well. Now another state arbitration panel may be called in. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

Across the city, there is consensus that the NYPD's $25,000 starting salary is too low. And now, the NYPD says recruits already in the Academy are voting with their feet, exiting at double the rate of previous classes. Both the city and the PBA blame each other for the starting salary drop etched in stone in the last contract.

The Bloomberg administration says it is ready to raise the incoming cop salary to just under $38,000 a year The PBA says the city is also hemorrhaging experienced officers and that the city has to make it a priority to close the growing gap that exists between higher paying suburban police departments and the NYPD. For WNYC, I’m Bob Hennelly.