SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The City of Spokane announced they have reached a tentative 4-year contract agreement with the Spokane Police Guild, which represents officers and sergeants, to offer better salaries for Spokane police officers.
The contract is competitive with other regional agencies that recruit and hire from the same candidate pool, city officials state. It must be approved by the City Council and would be retroactive to the beginning of the year.
Other agencies in Washington have recently settled on raises that previously put Spokane behind market rates.
"We have a community that is very welcoming and supportive of the department and its officers," said Mayor Nadine Woodward. "This contract shows the City's commitment to retaining and recruiting a strong, professional, and experienced force."
The contract includes the following:
- Raises in each of the four years, including 5% this year
- Additional compensation for educational achievement
- Credit for years of service in another department for lateral officers
- Ombudsman's ability to conduct individual interviews with officer consent without resulting in discipline, select a deputy ombudsman, and investigate serious misconduct for up to five years after the incident
The city states that giving lateral officers credit for years of service at other departments will help attract candidates who can join patrol faster, thereby reducing significant training costs for the department.
Factors such as the competitive landscape, officer morale and staffing needs played a part in structuring the contract, according to the city.
The contract will be presented to the full Guild membership for ratification, which is expected to take a week to ten days.
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