Council committee reviews BPD forensic unit contract, seeks $128,700 from collective-bargaining reserve

The Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means held a Feb. 24 hearing on two appropriation orders that would transfer $128,700 from the FY2025 collective-bargaining reserve to the Boston Police Department to cover cost items in a collective bargaining agreement for the department's forensic unit.

The matter — listed in committee documents as Docket Nos. 0237 and 0238 and sponsored by Councilor Brian Worrell and Michelle Wu — would fund pay adjustments and related contract changes for roughly 33 professional, non‑sworn forensic employees. Committee Chair Brian Worrell opened the hearing and described the documents' purpose and timeline.

Why it matters: City staff said the contract aims to make forensic-science positions more competitive and to address recruitment and retention in technically demanding roles. Budget testimony also laid out the modest near-term fiscal impact to the city's FY2025 collective-bargaining reserve.

Achim Williamson, the city budget director, told the committee the FY2025 budget included about $96.8 million in aggregate for the collective-bargaining reserve and that, after accounting for 15 agreements this fiscal year and the reduction tied to the forensic unit, the reserve balance would change. "The…