ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Police officers are looking for higher pay, and they've yet to reach an agreement with the city.

Pay negotiations have been tabled until another meeting next week, but time is ticking as the current contract expires at the end of this month.

City officials and the Fraternal Order of Police Orlando Lodge #25 met inside City Hall on Wednesday for yet another day of contract negotiations. While negotiators hammered out smaller contractual details, the contentious discussion about pay will continue into at least next week.

"Ultimately, for us, the negotiations are about the safety and security, and the officers," said FOP Lodge #25 president Adam Krudo.

The FOP is currently proposing a 15% increase in wages spread out over three years. The city, however, is offering 13% raise over the same period.

Police officers calling for more pay point to other cities that have started cutting bigger checks for their officers — Tampa officials just approved a whopping 18.5% increase for its officers.

"Why would you choose to come here and not the west coast? Go to Tampa or Saint Pete?" Krudo asked. "If it meant an extra $15,000 or $20,000 a year?"

Tampa has a significantly larger population than Orlando, though data from the FBI shows the Orlando Police Department reported more violent crimes than Tampa in 2020.

City officials have budged on their initial proposal, moving up significantly from their first offer. But the FOP argues they need to see more, as it's integral to employee recruitment and retention.

"The amount of cumulative stress over a career that the average police officer takes on, the average firefighter takes on, it can not be ignored," said Krudo.

Negotiations will begin again next week, and officials say they expect for it to be a long, intensive day as each party works to hammer out all the details of the new contract.