Syracuse residency for new cops, bonuses for higher ranks under new contract

for use with police blotter stories

A woman is handcuffed and led to a police car following a fight and stabbing in Syracuse. Syracuse.com | File photo

Syracuse, N.Y. — Rookie Syracuse police officers will be required to live in the city and top officers will receive pay increases under a contract expenditure authorized today by the Common Council.

The council approved an estimated $8.5 million in retroactive wage and benefit increases for police related to the long-contested contract, with about 85% of that money paying just for cost-of-living adjustments, according to Greg Loh, chief policy officer for Mayor Ben Walsh. The expenditure covers those costs from 2018 through June 30 of this year.

“I think this is a good contract. It achieves our goals,” Walsh said. “When you look at the additional costs … those are directly related to our priorities, which are reflective of the community’s priorities.”

An arbitrator issued a ruling on the contract in early July, keeping much of what was proposed in a deal between Walsh’s administration and the police union in 2019.

In what Walsh called “a win for the city,” newly hired officers will be required to live within Syracuse city limits for at least the first five years with the department. He said he hopes many officers will choose to continue living in the city beyond that mark.

The provision starts with the next recruitment class, but excludes the current class, which was sworn in in late June and will graduate in several months. Once the provision does start, it gives recruits six months from graduation to move to the city, said Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner.

The agreement also aims to attract officers to leadership roles and to keep officers within the department by giving experienced officers more money and offering bonuses for those who stay beyond the 20 years required to earn a full pension, Walsh said.

The contract awards pay hikes for captains, lieutenants and sergeants ranging from $12,000 to $18,000 and pays bonuses to officers who speak foreign languages, have advanced degrees or have military experience.

Right now, officers are leaving the department at an alarming rate, either for other jobs or by retiring, Walsh said.

“I think we can all agree that the number we have right now is not enough to meet the need, to ensure everyone is safe in the city of Syracuse,” Walsh said. He suggested that he’d like to keep the 400 current officers and add about another 30 to the force.

Police union President Joseph Moran said he’s “happy that the contract is resolved.”

“Generally, membership is satisfied with the outcome,” Moran said, adding that he wasn’t sure what the next round of bargaining would entail.

Although this contract has been approved, it only covers calendar years 2018 and 2019. As of January 1, 2020, the police are again operating without an approved contract.

That means negotiations will have to start again very soon, Walsh said.

“I would like to be within contract with the [police union] sooner than later,” he said, but “it will probably be a little while before we go back to the table.”

Got a tip, comment or story idea? Call or text Megan Craig at ‪315-925-7137, email her at mcraig@syracuse.com or send a direct message on Twitter @megcraig1.

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