Council ratifies new three-year police contracts for officers and supervisors

City Council unanimously ratified three-year collective bargaining agreements with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Officers’ bargaining unit and the FOP Supervisors’ bargaining unit, approving pay increases, step plans and pension improvements officials said are aimed at recruiting and retaining officers.

The agreements cover Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2027. Under the officers’ deal, the city and union agreed to a new 10-step pay plan that raises the entry-level annual pay to $72,000 and includes step increases of 4.25% in early years and smaller increases later in the schedule. City negotiators and union representatives also broadened certification and licensure pay to more specialty roles (for example traffic investigators and drone operators), and agreed to pension changes that raise the benefit multiplier for post-2012 service from 3 to 3.25 and add a 2% cola after retirement for six years.

City and union contributions: Staff and the union negotiated an improved pension formula while also agreeing the bargaining unit members increase their pension contribution to 6% of pay to help finance the change. City presentations projected that with the agreed funding path the pension plan’s funded ratio would reach about 90% by 2029 and approach full funding by the early 2030s while keeping employer contributions within the budget envelope.

Leadership and recruitment: City officials and councilmembers framed the contracts as part of a multi-year effort to reverse high turnover and restore competitiveness after years of slow wage growth and pension reform following the 2008 recession. City Manager Gary Young and Human Resources Director Charlotte Lowell noted the city’s vacancy rate in the department had been high less than two years ago and praised the negotiating team and police leadership for the outcomes. Council members emphasized the contracts are intended to stabilize staffing and reward service.

Supervisors’ contract: Council also ratified a separate supervisors’ (sergeants) agreement that raises starting and top-of-scale pay for sergeants, adds step increases and mirrors the pension reform approach to share costs and improve actuarial results. Negotiators said the supervisors’ package is smaller in terms of headcount impact but important to maintain promotional paths and morale.

Council action: Both contracts were ratified on unanimous votes. Officials said implementation steps will follow through payroll and pension administration; the bargaining units ratified their membership votes before the council’s action.