Pembroke Park approves first police union contract since department return

The Town of Pembroke Park Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 26 to approve Resolution 2025-008, formalizing a labor agreement between the town and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 194.

Town Manager David Lynch said the agreement is “historic” because it is the first police contract with a union since the return of the town’s police department, and he asked commissioners to support the measure. "This is historic because the FOP now initiates the first police contract with the union since the return of our police department," Lynch said. He also described the contract as reflecting the department's professionalization and said the town is positioning pay to be competitive: "We're not at the very top of the charts in terms of pay, but we're not at the bottom anymore either."

The contract drew one procedural question from a commissioner about Article 28, which provides a $50,000 payment for death in the line of duty. Town staff said that payment is separate from the town's existing life insurance coverage. According to town staff, the town maintains a life insurance policy that pays two times salary for employees who die while employed and four times salary if an employee dies in the line of duty; the $50,000 payment in Article 28 would be in addition to those insurance benefits (town staff characterized the life-insurance payout as roughly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to the named beneficiary, approximately $300,000–$400,000, depending on salary). The transcript did not specify whether the $50,000 would come from a particular account or be funded through general revenues.

The commission approved the resolution on a roll call vote. Vice Mayor Morissette made the motion to approve Resolution 2025-008; Commissioner Hodgkins seconded. The recorded vote was: Commissioner Jacobs — yes; Commissioner Kasham — yes; Commissioner Hodgkins — yes; Vice Mayor Morissette — yes; Mayor Mohammed — yes. The motion carried 5-0.

Town Manager Lynch, the police chief and deputy chief were present for the meeting; the town's legal representative on the contract was Denise Heakin and Paul Maniatis represented the union. The transcript records expressions of thanks to negotiators and to officers for their service but does not indicate any amendments to the contract during the meeting.

The commission did not record additional follow-up steps or a timetable for implementation in the meeting record. The approved resolution and the executed contract will be the town's formal labor agreement with FOP Lodge 194 going forward.