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Police union Prez Cotto and Mayor Elicker: Deal reached, ratification vote to come.
The Elicker administration and the police union have reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year contract that would increase salaries by 25 percent over the term of the deal.
That’s according to an email press release sent out Tuesday afternoon by city spokesperson Lenny Speiller.
The press release states that the tentative new contract would cover the department’s 326 existing police officers, and “has been submitted for formal review, consideration, and a ratification vote by the union membership.” If ratified by union membership, the mayor then has to submit the labor deal to the Board of Alders for review and a final vote.
The announcement comes roughly a month after disputes over the long-expired police contract burst into public view, as the deal headed to state arbitration — and Mayor Justin Elicker and local police union President Florencio Cotto pointed fingers at one another for why a new contract hadn’t yet been reached.
According to Tuesday’s press release, the new contract would run from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2028. (The last contract expired on June 30, 2022.)
The press release states that the tentative agreement would result in an estimated one-time cost of around $5.6 million to cover retroactive pay, including overtime, and an additional $7.5 million to cover proposed salary increases through 2028.
To quote directly from the press release, some of the deal’s terms include:
• Annual pay increases to reward and help retain current officers: Officers will receive annual salary increases, starting with retroactive increases of 2.5% for fiscal year 2022 – 23 and fiscal year 2023 – 24, followed by a 5% increase in fiscal year 2024 – 25 and each subsequent fiscal year through 2028. Retroactive payments will be distributed for both base pay and overtime.
• New starting salary to attract and recruit new officers: Beginning in fiscal year 2024 – 2025, new recruits will enter the police academy with a $70,000 starting salary – a nearly $20,000 increase from the current starting salary $50,745. In fiscal year 2025 – 26, the starting salary will be $73,500 and in fiscal year 2026 – 27 the starting salary will be $77,175. This will make new officers in the Elm City among the highest paid compared to other comparable large cities in Connecticut.
• New work schedules to provide better work-life balance for officers: Patrol officers will transition to a 5 – 3, 5 – 3 schedule (5 days on, 3 days off days) and administrative staff will transition to a 4 – 3, 5 – 2 schedule with a shorter, six-hour shift on the fifth day. Currently, patrol officers follow a 5 – 2, 5 – 3 schedule and administrative staff follow a 5 – 2, 5 – 2 schedule.
• Introduction of Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) to help retain more senior officers: Eligible officers will have the ability to participate in the new DROP program, allowing senior officers to collect for retirement when they are eligible to retire while also continuing to work for the department. This option will be available only to officers who reach retirement eligibility and choose not to retire, but to keep working for the New Haven Police Department. Monthly pension benefits would be deposited into a DROP account, and officers can receive a lump sum or rollover payment at the end of the DROP period.
• Healthcare plan updates that align with those of other municipal union contracts: New deductible structures and cost-sharing measures will be adopted, including adjustments to employees’ Health Savings Account (HSA) plans.
• Online crime reporting to improve crime-fighting efficiencies: Civilians will be able to report minor, non-emergency crimes online, allowing officers to focus on more urgent cases in the field. Certified police officers will then review online reports and follow up accordingly.
• New disciplinary procedures for officers charged with a felony to ensure appropriate accountability: In the rare instance when an officer is charged with a felony, they may be placed on unpaid leave. If the charges are nolled, dismissed, or the officer is found not guilty, full back pay will be awarded.
Elicker is quoted in the press release as saying that the proposed contract “will provide our officers with a well-deserved raise, help retain existing officers, help attract and recruit new officers, and strengthen the police department’s ability to keep our communities safe. This is a contract that all sides can be proud of and one that I hope both the union membership and the Board of Alders will support.”
Cotto is quoted in the press release as saying, “We encourage all our members to review the details carefully and participate in the upcoming vote scheduled within the next few weeks.”