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Police union and officers urge La Verne council to end contract stalemate as residents warn of staffing losses
Summary
The Leverne Police Officers Association and multiple officers urged the La Verne City Council on Sept. 15 to resume negotiations and approve roughly $250,000 to close an apparent first‑year budget gap, warning of overtime fatigue, departures and higher service demands tied to the Gold Line and planned housing.
Mayor Heburn said the city remains in active talks with the Leverne Police Officers Association and that the existing memorandum of understanding remains in effect while negotiations continue. "I would like to get a new contract," the mayor said, adding he planned to meet immediately with POA leaders to seek a resolution.
Andrew McKinley, president of the Leverne Police Officers Association, told the council the union has “entered our third month without a contract,” saying officers have received last‑and‑final offers with little movement and no meaningful bargaining. McKinley said Leverne officers are paid below comparable cities, that recruitment and retention are suffering and that the union believes about $250,000 would close the first‑year gap. “We want to reach a deal. We believe a deal is possible,” he said.
Several sworn officers and residents reinforced McKinley’s plea during public comment. Corporal Brad Bailey, who described years of patrol and tactical experience, recounted medical and traffic scenes to illustrate the demands on officers' time and mental health: “I performed CPR for about two minutes before the fire department arrived,” he said, describing calls that contribute to fatigue and turnover.
Other residents urged the council to prioritize the negotiations, saying officer departures harm public safety and carry larger fiscal risks. George Ramirez told the council that officers have “done so much with and without a contract to keep most of that [crime] at bay.” Commenters also questioned budget priorities and asked staff to identify line items that could free funds for the shortfall.
City leaders repeatedly said they respect the department and want an agreement but must balance long‑term fiscal sustainability across city services. Mayor Heburn stated the city remains fiscally constrained and described recent budget discussions as a context for the bargaining positions. He said two council members would meet immediately with the POA board to continue talks.
What happens next: The mayor said council members would meet with the POA leadership right away and continue bargaining through city staff. No formal contract was approved at the meeting.
Context: Speakers tied staffing concerns to upcoming changes that could affect call volume, including the Gold Line opening and a proposed large housing project. The council did not make a budget appropriation at this meeting.
