Dearborn Heights officials and union debate ratified police contract as finance and pension questions surface

Dearborn Heights — City and union negotiators ratified a tentative agreement for the police department on Dec. 19 that would raise pay and change benefits, but council members and finance advisers told a study session they were not consulted on affordability and that procedural steps tied to pension costs appear not to have been completed. The union has filed for mediation with the Michigan employment-relations authority.

The agreement as described at the meeting would give officers a 5% raise each year of a three-year contract (15% total), increase the city match to the existing MERS retirement contribution from 1% to 3%, and expand retiree health-care subsidy provisions to cover 60% of a retiree’s premium up to $7,000 annually. It would also add two paid holidays (Juneteenth and Eid), provide overtime/time-and-a-half for specified working holidays, create a $1,500 maximum stipend for certain certifications (evidence technician, range staff, honor guard, lock‑picking school), allow limited furlough roll-over with payout above 244 hours, and include other language changes the city said were intended to limit overtime and tighten sick‑leave rules. The city negotiators sought removal of the contract’s minimum‑staffing clause and offered a $4-per-hour night shift premium as an alternative.

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