Appropriations committee hears state police MP‑1 reopener; lawmakers press on recruitment, retention

A tentative agreement to reopen wages for the Connecticut State Police MP‑1 bargaining unit — covering roughly 880 troopers, sergeants and master sergeants — would provide a 2.5% general wage increase effective July 1, 2025, state negotiators told the Appropriations Committee at a May 5 public hearing.

The Office of Policy and Management’s state negotiator, Eric Peterson, said the reopener “provides only for a 2 and a half percent general wage increase effective 07/01/2025.” Peterson testified alongside Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronald Higgins, Connecticut State Police Colonel Daniel Lachman and OPM budget staff.

OPM’s Peterson and budget staff and the Department said the increase follows a wage pattern used in other reopeners and that the cost is treated through the state’s Reserve for Salary Accounts. Senator Austin Walker and other committee members asked whether the RSA covers the package; Peterson and OPM staff confirmed the account would be used to fund the tentative agreement.

Committee members and agency leaders focused questions on recruitment and retention. Colonel Daniel Lachman described training and staffing: “We train our troopers to the highest standard,” he said, adding recruit training includes about 1,600 hours and substantial field training. Lachman said the capsule workforce picture includes recent graduating classes and plans to extend 66 offers for an upcoming recruit class; he also said the agency recently graduated a class of 21.

Union leaders told the committee they would have preferred a larger raise. Todd Fettigan, president of the Connecticut State Police Union, said, “I would argue we—re we deserve more than 2 and a half percent because of the stuff our members deal with,” citing operational stress and long‑term effects of traumatic incidents. Andrew Matthews, executive director and in‑house counsel for the union, reviewed pension and tier changes for new hires, and warned those benefits affect recruitment: “Prior to 2011, it was a average of your highest 3 years… In 2017, it became… an average of your highest 5 years and included a contribution to a 401(k),” Matthews said.

Lawmakers pressed agency witnesses for numbers and context. Representative Kate Nuchio and others referenced retirements and class sizes. Union and agency witnesses said hundreds of troopers left in recent years after changes to healthcare and pension calculations, and that class sizes had fallen. The union described long institutional losses and called for separate consideration of trooper hazard duty and pension treatment as part of broader retention efforts.

Committee members also asked about mental‑health supports and disability processes. Fettigan pointed to peer support, post‑traumatic stress and delays in work‑related disability processes that can leave affected troopers in difficult financial positions while applications are decided.

The committee moved both a House resolution (House Resolution 17) and a Senate resolution (Senate Resolution 16) to consider approving the MP‑1 reopener agreement. Those resolutions were advanced for committee roll call; the committee conducted roll calls and left votes open for some members who were absent at the time, per the clerk’s announcement. OPM and agency witnesses told the committee the Reserve for Salary Accounts had been used historically to fund such reopeners and that the RSA balance had been cited during questioning.

What the agreement covers and what it does not: OPM said the 2.5% figure is the general range increase for fiscal year 2026, and that previously negotiated step movements and top‑step lump sums for the final contract year had already been ratified in 2023 when the underlying 2022–2026 contract was approved. The tentative reopener does not change earlier step or top‑step provisions; it provides only the general wage increase described by Peterson.

Why it matters: Committee members representing small towns and rural areas emphasized reliance on state troopers where municipalities lack local police departments and stressed that pay and benefits affect the agency’s ability to recruit and keep experienced troopers. Several lawmakers said the reopener is one of several actions the state must take to stabilize staffing, but that salary adjustments alone will not fully restore past staffing levels.

Votes at a glance House Resolution 17 (approval of agreement with Connecticut State Police Union, MP‑1): Motion moved in committee by Rep. Mike Dathan and seconded by Rep. Matthew Gilchrist. Committee roll call was taken; committee members present recorded their positions and the clerk left votes open for members who were absent at the roll call. Note: roll calls were conducted at the May 5 meeting and the clerk announced that votes would be left open for a time to allow late arrivals; the committee did not record a floor adoption in the hearing record shown here. (See committee actions[] entry below.)

Senate Resolution 16 (approval of agreement with Connecticut State Police Union, MP‑1): Motion moved in committee and seconded on the Senate side; committee roll call was taken and, as with the House resolution, votes were left open for some members. (See committee actions[] entry below.)

What’s next: The committee advanced the resolutions for committee votes and left votes open to allow absent members to cast theirs. The tentative agreement still must be acted on by the full legislature where required under the collective bargaining approval process. OPM and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection remain available to answer follow‑up questions about costs, RSA accounting and recruitment initiatives.

Quotes (selected) - "I am pleased to be here to testify regarding the agreement we have reached," Eric Peterson, state negotiator, Office of Policy and Management. - "We train our troopers to the highest standard," Colonel Daniel Lachman, Connecticut State Police. - "I would argue we're we deserve more than 2 and a half percent because of the stuff our members deal with," Todd Fettigan, president, Connecticut State Police Union. - "Prior to 2011, it was an average of your highest 3 years... In 2017, it became... an average of your highest 5 years and included a contribution to a 401(k)," Andrew Matthews, Connecticut State Police Union executive director.

Speakers [{"name":"Eric Peterson","role_title":"State negotiator, Office of Policy and Management, Office of Labor Relations","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Office of Policy and Management"},{"name":"Ronald Higgins","role_title":"Commissioner","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection"},{"name":"Daniel Lachman","role_title":"Colonel, Commanding Officer / Deputy Commissioner","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Connecticut State Police / DESPP"},{"name":"Scott McWilliams","role_title":"Budget Division section director","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Office of Policy and Management"},{"name":"Todd Fettigan","role_title":"President","affiliation_type":"nonprofit","affiliation_name":"Connecticut State Police Union"},{"name":"Andrew Matthews","role_title":"Executive Director, in‑house counsel","affiliation_type":"nonprofit","affiliation_name":"Connecticut State Police Union"},{"name":"Mike Dathan","role_title":"Representative (mover, House resolution)","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"House of Representatives"},{"name":"Matthew Gilchrist","role_title":"Representative (seconder, House resolution)","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"House of Representatives"},{"name":"Senator Kushner","role_title":"Senator (seconder, Senate resolution)","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Senate"},{"name":"Austin Walker","role_title":"Chair, Appropriations Committee","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Appropriations Committee"}]

Authorities [{"type":"statute","name":"Conn. Gen. Stat. 929-4","citation":"Conn. Gen. Stat. 929-4","referenced_by":["discussion of historical trooper staffing levels"]},{"type":"other","name":"CBAC agreements (collective bargaining patterns)","citation":"CBAC/CBA wage reopening pattern referenced in testimony","referenced_by":["OPM testimony noting the 2.5% mirrors other CBAC final‑year reopeners"]},{"type":"other","name":"Reserve for Salary Accounts (RSA)","citation":"Reserve for Salary Accounts","referenced_by":["budget testimony regarding funding the wage reopener"]}]

Actions [{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"HouseResolution17"},"motion":"Proposing approval of an agreement between the state of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Police Union (MP‑1) for the FY26 wage reopener (2.5% general wage increase effective 07/01/2025)","mover":"Representative Mike Dathan","second":"Representative Matthew Gilchrist","vote_record":"roll call taken in committee; clerk left votes open for members absent at roll call","tally":{},"tally_notes":"Committee conducted a roll call at the May 5 hearing; the clerk announced some votes would be left open for absent members. The transcript shows committee members voting; the hearing record does not contain a final floor adoption in this transcript segment.","outcome":"postponed","notes":"Committee moved the resolution to a roll call and left votes open for members who were absent; final legislative approval remains pending."},{"kind":"motion","identifiers":{"agenda_item_id":"SenateResolution16"},"motion":"Proposing approval of an agreement between the state of Connecticut and the Connecticut State Police Union (MP‑1) for the FY26 wage reopener (2.5% general wage increase effective 07/01/2025)","mover":"Senator (motion made on senate side; seconded by Senator Kushner)","second":"Senator Kushner","vote_record":"roll call taken in committee; clerk left votes open for members absent at roll call","tally":{},"tally_notes":"Senate side held a roll call and likewise left votes open for late or absent members; transcript does not record a final floor adoption here.","outcome":"postponed","notes":"Committee advanced the senate resolution to a committee roll call and left votes open; final floor action required."}]

discussion_decision":{"discussion_points":["OPM said the reopener provides a 2.5% general wage increase effective 7/1/2025 and that previously negotiated step movements/top‑step lump sums were already ratified in 2023","Agency and union witnesses discussed recruitment, retention, and recent retirements; the union said recent pension and benefit changes drove departures","Colonel Lachman described training (about 1,600 hours) and recent recruit classes; department expected to send 66 offers for an upcoming class","Union leaders flagged mental‑health, PTSD, and delays in work‑related disability processing as ongoing issues for members"],"directions":[],"decisions":[]},