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Council approves $170,000 appropriation for new Somerville police patrol contract; civilian detail program language added

3257376 ยท May 8, 2025

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Summary

The council approved a requested $170,000 appropriation to fund a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Somerville Police Employees Association and accepted contract language that opens the door to a civilianized detail program.

The Somerville City Council approved a $170,000 appropriation from a salary contingency account to fund portions of a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Somerville Police Employees Association.

Matt Sergue, the city's labor counsel, presented the memorandum of agreement and summarized key terms: a 2% wage increase in the first year, and 3% increases in the second and third years along with 2% market adjustments each year. Sergue said the changes bring the base salary "from 59,210 to 67,994," and that hazardous-duty pay was raised to $3,000. He also said the agreement includes civilian-detail language intended to allow the city to use qualified civilians, retirees or non-Somerville sworn officers for certain detail work when patrol officers are unavailable.

Councilors asked whether the civilian-detail language resembles arrangements in neighboring cities; labor counsel said the provision is more comparable to Cambridge than Boston and leaves implementation detail to the police chief in consultation with the union. The contract provision retains priority for patrol officers and retirees before civilian detail is used. Councilors also confirmed the memorandum does not change current body-worn camera language.

Councilor McLaughlin recused himself from the item. The appropriation was approved by the council and later a motion to reconsider failed on a recorded vote (0 in favor, 8 opposed, 1 recused, 2 absent), leaving the action in place.

The administration said the civilian-detail language will still require policy work with the chief, the law department and relevant city departments. The memorandum of agreement also includes changes to drug-testing administration and military leave language.

The council did not record a full roll-call vote for the original approval in the transcript; the motion to reconsider was recorded and failed, keeping the appropriation and agreement in effect.