Mayor Rob Ford says he supports front-line police officers, but takes issue with the high salaries of some police employees.

“I support the front-line officers. When you look at Mr. Pugash making $178,000 as a communications director, that’s pretty shocking,” Ford told reporters Friday. “But I support our front-line officers. They work hard. They deserve the money.”

Ford’s comments aimed at Toronto Police Director of Corporate Communications Mark Pugash come the same day it was revealed that nearly 40 per cent of Toronto Police Service workers earned more than $100,000 last year.

The salaries were disclosed in an annual report on public sector salary disclosure contained in the agenda for an upcoming Toronto Police Services Board meeting.

"I do not respond to personal attacks," Pugash told CP24 Friday night regarding Ford's comment.

The mayor has found himself locked in a public war of words with the force’s top brass recently over comments made by Chief Bill Blair.

Last week, Ford and his brother Doug lashed out at Blair. Blair told CP24 that he was ‘deeply offended’ by comments made by the mayor in a surreptitiously filmed video that emerged showing Ford swearing in Jamaican patois and calling the chief a “----sucker.”

Blair was also criticized by the Ford brothers after he said he was ‘disappointed’ after viewing the video that’s alleged to show the mayor smoking from a glass pipe.

The brothers have called for Blair to be removed entirely from the investigation surrounding Ford.

The chief responded earlier this week by handing oversight of the case over to Ontario Provincial Police. Pugash defended the move in an interview with CP24, saying the chief took the action “to avoid distractions.”

Nearly 3,000 police employees on so-called sunshine list

The list revealed Friday shows that some 2,938 Toronto Police Service employees made more than $100,000 last year.

The list includes cadets-in-training as well as parking enforcement officers.

Chief Blair topped the list with a salary of $334,000 plus $3,300 in taxable benefits in 2013.

The base salary for a Toronto constable ranges from $89,000 to $97,000 a year. Plain-clothes officers earn between $95,000 and $103,000.

-with files from CTV’s Paul Bliss

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