Twenty-five current and former Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents who say they weren’t given raises mandated by state law are suing two officials and the bureau.

The Clarion-Ledger reports the lawsuit was filed last week against the bureau, Director John Dowdy and Public Safety Commissioner Marshall Fisher.

The lawsuit says Dowdy and Fisher intentionally failed to give fiscal officials necessary information to ensure money was budgeted to give agents pay raises based on their rank and experience.

It says the agency told agents they didn’t have the money for pay raises but instead chose to “arbitrarily and capriciously” give credit to some employees and not others.

The lawsuit says the agents are seeking salary and overtime back pay along with punitive damages against Dowdy and Fisher.
Dowdy declined to comment.