Only five years ago, in 1988, police salaries accounted for 51 percent of the salary budget.

By a vote of 4 to 2, the supervisors raised police salaries to an average of $59,000 in 1995.

"But I've saved some money, and police salaries have gone up, so I decided to go for it."

The change would have made it easier for the union to win such fights, leading, city officials believed, to a steady increase in police salaries.

He had filed for personal bankruptcy in 2002, and his final police salary was under $60,000.

With the authority coming under political pressure to cut costs, and having already eliminated 951 administrative jobs, its officials are now focusing on police salaries.

They also learned that the monthly police salary in Cambodia was forty dollars.

More than half of last year's deficit was due to cost overruns in police salaries and benefits.

"If they all recite together that police salaries are driving everything up, maybe somebody will believe them," he said.

We support the costs of police salaries, contributing £8m in 2011/12.