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Dolton police ratify three-year contract after one-day mediation, chief says
Summary
The Dolton police chief said patrol officers ratified a tentative three-year collective bargaining agreement reached after a Feb. 5 mediation. The contract, effective May 1, 2024–April 30, 2027, includes 3% annual pay increases, a larger uniform allowance and increased longevity pay; a final village board vote is scheduled for April (date not specified).
The Dolton police chief said patrol officers have ratified a tentative three-year collective bargaining agreement that will run from May 1, 2024, through April 30, 2027, following a one-day mediation on Feb. 5.
The agreement includes 3% pay increases for 2024, 2025 and 2026; a raise in the uniform allowance from $800 to $1,000 a year; a change to longevity pay to $250 per month with an additional $250 every five years; and time-and-a-half pay for mandated special-event staffing when officers are given reasonable notice, the chief said. "We were able to agree on all of these sticking points or where we were at impass on that day," the chief said of the Feb. 5 mediation.
The chief said negotiations began in 2024 after the previous contract expired April 30, 2024, and that he restarted talks when he became chief in August. He described the negotiations as unusually cooperative and said the tentative agreement was submitted to patrol officers and ratified; the record in the meeting did not include a vote tally from that ratification. "This is probably one of the easiest negotiations I've been a part of," the chief said.
The contract also formalizes pay for officers appointed as officers in charge (OICs) — patrol supervisors appointed by the chief while promotional exams and rank structure remain limited — by granting four hours of compensatory time for the period served in that role, the chief said. He added that, aside from the changes he described, other contract provisions remain the same as in the prior agreement.
The chief also paid tribute to Illinois FOP labor council attorney Kimia Harris, saying she had "unfortunately passed away this weekend" and encouraging officers to attend her funeral arrangements. The mayor/chair said there were no questions from the board and noted the contract will appear on the village agenda for a final vote in April; the mayor did not specify a date.
No formal board action was taken at the meeting; the chief offered to meet individually with board members who had questions. The record does not include a board vote or the patrol officers' ratification tally.
