Oxford approves three-year contracts for police patrol and supervisors to improve pay and retention
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Summary
Oxford City Council adopted three‑year collective bargaining agreements with the Oxford Police Officers and the Sergeants/Lieutenants lodges that include step changes to pay, a 5%/4%/4% wage schedule, a sick‑leave cash‑out on retirement, tuition support and changes to overtime and discipline language.
Oxford City Council on Dec. 16 adopted two three‑year collective bargaining agreements between the city and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 38 covering patrol officers and sergeants/lieutenants.
Assistant City Manager Green presented the agreements as the result of several months of negotiations. "We have concluded our negotiations with both the patrol and sergeant and lieutenant unions," Green said, summarizing economic and non‑economic changes. The city described the wage proposal as "5% year, 4% in year 2, 4% in year 3," adjusted step structures, and new senior steps to help retention. The staff report said the contracts should bring pay into alignment as officers advance in their careers.
The agreements include a variety of compensation and benefit changes intended to aid recruitment and retention. Green said the city adjusted entry‑level step placement, added senior steps at 102% (after 5 years) and 104% (after 8 years), increased shift supervisor pay, allowed greater vacation carryover, and added a sick‑leave cash‑out at retirement at a 1:4 conversion rate with a maximum payout of 300 hours. Other terms include a tuition lump sum for degree pursuit (with payback if an officer leaves within two years), a tiered repayback for academy costs, changes to overtime language to reflect assigned overtime, training provisions, and a change to allow officers who retire after 10 years to keep weapon and badge. The city also removed the notarization requirement for filing a complaint against an officer.
At the meeting, Jeff Robinson, a unit representative, thanked bargaining teams and attorneys and said the new contracts would help the department remain competitive in the regional labor market. "Kudos to both the city's team and the FOP bargaining unit for kind of sticking to it," Robinson said.
Council discussion was uniformly supportive. Councilors praised the bargaining process and said the package struck a balance between retaining experienced officers and recruiting new ones. After discussion, the council adopted both resolutions by voice vote.
What happens next: The city manager was authorized to sign the contracts. The city said some nonpublic procedures remain internal to the city, but that the agreements will go into effect according to their terms for 2026–2028 (three‑year term).
