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Omaha moves forward with police labor agreements as council discusses staffing and retention
Summary
The council held public hearings on two police labor agreements: a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Omaha Police Officers Association and a companion agreement for police managers. City negotiators said the contracts target recruitment and retention through wage steps, longevity and specialty pay, and benefit alignments.
The Omaha City Council heard public presentations on a two-year collective bargaining agreement with the Omaha Police Officers Association and a related agreement for police managers.
Deputy City Attorney Bernard Inabash summarized the OPOA agreement as a two-year contract that implements previously adopted 2026 wage increases (5.58% set by ordinance) and contemplates a 6.4% wage step in 2027. The negotiated package includes pension cost-sharing changes for tier-three hires, increases in longevity pay intended to improve retention, additions and increases in specialty pay (for school resource officers, mounted patrol, drone operators), modest changes to premiums and uniform vouchers (expanded use and higher allowances), and continuation of certain contributions previously sunsetted.
Negotiators said pay and benefits were designed to support staffing and reduce turnover. Council members asked for projected staffing levels for the end of 2026 and noted planned academy classes (a large summer class likely starting the Monday after July 4 was discussed). City negotiators confirmed that the 2026 wage increase was already budgeted and that the city would continue to monitor potential contract escalators in 2027 tied to other jurisdictions’ contracts.
The companion agreement for police managers aligns selected benefits and retention measures with those in the union contract to avoid promotion disincentives; changes include health and leave provisions and incremental improvements to allow managers to sell additional sick leave at higher longevity thresholds.
Both contracts were presented at public hearing; council members indicated they would review documents in the coming days and be prepared to act at the next meeting.
