The average Annapolis police officer looks either fresh out of college or ready for retirement - a situation the department is trying to change with improved benefits and increased salaries that went into effect this year.

"People either stay here forever or we lose them after five or six years of service," said Officer Hal Dalton, police spokesman and an Annapolis officer for 28 years.

Until July, Annapolis police officers received no medical benefits after retiring, which meant some had to pay up to $700 a month for health insurance, Dalton said.

"That pretty much made it impossible to retire," he said. "And with all the retirement-aged people here, that bottles everything up, and there's not a lot of movement upward for the younger people."

But in the spring, the police union negotiated a contract with a stipulation that the city pay 80 percent of medical coverage when an officer retires with at least 25 years of service. The retiree will pay the remaining 20 percent.

The new benefit, coupled with an across-the-board 11.1 percent pay increase that goes into effect tomorrow, has Annapolis' 108 police officers feeling that they made great strides this year.

"We've never had a hike like this," Dalton said. The raise increases the minimum salary to $35,000.

Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, who approved the raise this month, said better pay and benefits should "help stop the exodus of police officers to other jurisdictions."

Police Chief Joseph S. Johnson said he was glad to see that the mayor had "lived up to her campaign promises," saying she "truly understands our needs."

"She's done a lot in six months," Johnson said.

Officer Floyd Carson Jr., who patrols Main Street and the city dock, called this the year the department "has really come of age."

Carson, 33, said his salary will jump by about $4,200, helping him pay for night classes at Bowie State University, where he is about a year away from obtaining a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. With three children - and a fourth on the way - Carson said every dollar counts.

The changes this year, he said, are "long overdue" and should help the department with recruiting and retention.

"It's a dog-eat-dog world out there when it comes to law enforcement," he said. "Officers look at pay, benefits and equipment, and they go where those are the best."

The four-year veteran said that he had "questioned momentarily" whether he should leave the department but that Johnson assured officers that improved pay and benefits were on the way.

The changed salary and benefits apparently have lured one officer back to the force.

This year, Officer Jeff Hartlove, who joined the Annapolis police in June 1988 after several years as a dispatcher, went to work for Anne Arundel County, Dalton said. The officer said pay and benefits were the reason for his departure, but when things started to turn around for the city police, he returned, Dalton said.

John Miller, chief steward for the police union, described the spring contract negotiations as "smooth."

An officer for 15 years, Miller has been on active duty with the Air Force since September last year but still acts as union head. He said that he was "jubilant" when he heard about the pay raise several weeks ago and that the officers are "ecstatic."

Miller said the union would focus on trying to enhance the pension plan, which gives officers half their salary after 25 years and 67.5 percent after 30 years.