Modesto approves police pay raises

The Modesto City Council approved Wednesday a labor agreement that calls for Modesto’s police officers and detectives to receive pay raises as much as 11.5 percent over 2 1/2 years as well as other increases that eventually will cost the city’s general fund as much as $2.44 million annually.

The raises and increases are part of a three-year labor agreement between the city and Modesto Police Officers Association, which represents the Police Department’s roughly 180 officers and detectives.

City officials say the increases are needed so Modesto can remain competitive with similar agencies and help it hire and keep police officers, especially veteran officers. The MPOA contract is effective July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2019.

The contract also changes officers’ work week, from four 11-hour days followed by four days off to three 12 1/2 -hour days with four days off. A city report says this will let the Police Department better schedule officers when they are most needed.

MPOA members will receive a 2 percent salary increase in January, then 2.5 percent in June and then 3 percent in June 2018. They also will receive a 2 to 4 percent increase in June 2019, with the amount to be determined by the level of inflation. Officers now make $65,496 to $79,620 annually, while detectives make $72,300 to $87,876. MPOA members also will receive a one-time $1,000 retention bonus in November.

MPOA members also will receive a 2.5 percent salary increase in June, but at the same time those officers contributing 9 percent of their pay toward their pensions will begin paying 3 percent more, for a total contribution of 12 percent. Lopez said veteran officers will be paying the additional 3 percent. He said officers who are new to government and hired in January 2013 or later already are paying 12 percent.

MPOA members also will receive increases in other types of compensation, such as special compensation for having intermediate and advanced certificates from California’s Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission, which sets the standards for selection and training of law enforcement in the state. For instance, those with advanced certificates will see their special compensation rise from 5.7 percent to 8 percent in August and then to 10 percent in June 2017.

Deputy City Manager Joe Lopez said Monday that at full implementation, the labor agreement will cost the city’s general fund $1.87 million to $2.44 million annually. The variance is because the last pay raise was tied to inflation.

The council Wednesday also:

▪  Approved a five-year, nearly $1.8 million contract with Taser International for body cameras for the Police Department’s sergeants, officers and detectives, cameras for the department’s 69 patrol cars, Tasers, and maintenance and data storage of the cameras. The city did not go out to bid for the contract. The city has used Taser body cameras since late 2012. The contract for data storage expired in June. The new contract calls for replacing the department’s existing body cameras and Tasers. Police Chief Galen Carroll said his department did extensive research before going with Taser in 2012 and said they remain the industry leader. The council’s approval came after council members discussed whether the city should have gone out to bid on this contract. Councilman Doug Ridenour did not vote because he owns Taser International stock.

▪  Awarded a $40.9 million contract with Myers-Rados of Santa Ana for the construction of a pipeline and other infrastructure for the North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program, in which the city will send highly treated wastewater to the Del Puerto Water District via the Delta-Mendota Canal. The district’s farmers will use the water on their crops. The council also approved a $2.18 million contract with Carollo Engineers of Walnut Creek for engineering services. The city will pay for the project through a 1 percent state loan and a $15 million state grant. The Del Puerto Water District will reimburse the city for the project’s costs and pay the city a premium for the recycled wastewater. Turlock also is a partner in the project and will build its own pipeline and infrastructure.

This story was originally published August 4, 2016 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Modesto approves police pay raises."