On Thursday, officers with the Selma Police Department met with members of the Selma City Council and Mayor George Evans in a closed door meeting.

Although the media wasn’t allowed inside, the message of the meeting was clear — patrol officers want to be paid fairly and they want it now.

We’ve written in the past that police officers deserve to get paid more. We’re not sure anyone would dispute that.

Patrol officers with the Selma Police Department start at $12.90 per hour, which seems like a low amount when you consider the dangers they face during everyday work.

It’s not surprising that officers decided to take a stand, considering they haven’t received a pay raise since 2007.

Three one-time pay raises have been approved over the last three years, but those are essentially bonuses.

The part that’s surprising is the timing of this standoff. The municipal elections will be held Aug. 23, which makes it look like the move has political ties as well.

Officers denied that politics played any part in the decision.

While nothing could be officially decided during Thursday’s meeting, both sides were at least given a chance to air out their opinions and concerns. Evans and several city council members agreed to the meeting on short notice, which shows they recognize the severity of the situation.

We hope to see all of the city’s police officers back at work soon, but at the same time it’s important they feel their work is appreciated.

A pay raise doesn’t seem like much to ask for the men and women that protect us and keep a watchful eye over our streets while we sleep at night.