SPRINGFIELD – The City Council approved a new contract for the Springfield police union during their Jan. 9 meeting. The contract awards 3.75 percent annual retroactive pay bonuses for 2020, 2021 and 2022 while also extending the annual bonuses to 2023 and 2024.

Springfield Director of Human Resources and Labor Relations William Mahoney presented the contract to the council. Mahoney shared that the contract terms will impact the city’s police employee base of roughly 400 people.

Negotiations for the contract began in November 2021. Mahoney shared that the terms for the contract were discussed over 14 bargaining sessions and two mediations. The contract also includes conditions for the city’s 2022 settlement agreement with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

“It’s a very lengthy agreement, but there’ve been some significant changes to make sure we are in compliance with that DOJ settlement agreement,” said Mahoney.

One of the changes includes an increase in length of time the city has to bring a formal discipline charge against a patrol officer from 90 days to 120 days. The 120 days can be exceeded under special circumstances, according to Mahoney.

Video and audio recordings for use-of-force investigations by the Internal Investigation Unit were also highlighted in the contract. Mahoney said it is under the city’s discretion whether interviews or disciplinary hearings conducted by the recently established Board of Police Commissioners will be recorded. The board was created in the aftermath of the DOJ consent decree.

City Councilor At-Large Tracye Whitfield inquired as to why recordings would be at the city’s discretion. Mahoney said the contract language is taking in account that a compliance evaluator in Springfield is only temporary. He said the DOJ compliance evaluator must still be provided recordings of all hearings that occur.
“We’re not always going to have a compliance evaluator, and contract language tends to live on in the contract well beyond its lifespan … The language is language from labor relations,” said Mahoney.

Whitfield expressed concern with the discretionary approach. She stressed that hearings should be recorded at all times to ensure transparency.

“Those should be taped all the time so we have the correct information, and we can see what’s going on,” said Whitfield.

Whitfield motioned for the contract to be sent to a City Council subcommittee for further discussion. The motion was ultimately defeated due to not receiving a second motion.

Ward 2 City Councilor Michael Fenton considered the contract a “fair” agreement. He said that the raises reflect the added responsibilities police officers have under the DOJ agreement and from the city’s implementation of body-worn cameras starting in June 2020.

“I think that it is fair and consistent with the added expectations that we put on a lot of our brave men and women over the course of the past few years. They should be congratulated and applauded for the heroic work that they do each and every day in the city of Springfield,” said Fenton.

Ward 6 City Councilor Victor Davila highlighted the contract’s inclusion of a field officer training program that was previously featured in the DOJ agreement. Davila viewed the addition as a welcomed one.

“I am delighted, and I am sure we are going to have good quality people who will sign up to be [field officer trainers] … I think it’s a good step,” said Davila.

City Councilor At-Large Kateri Walsh praised the extensive deliberations that occurred before the contract was approved by the union.

“There were 14 bargaining sessions and two mediations, which suggests to me there was a lot of give and take on both sides before consensus was reached … With so many people being involved, and so much hard work being done, this contract should be supported,” said Walsh.

Ward 8 City Councilor Zaida Govan said she hopes for the contract terms will attract more people to join the Springfield Police Department.

“I’m hoping that we are going to be able to recruit more officers from our city … to continue the good work that our Police Department is doing,” said Govan.
City Councilor At-Large Justin Hurst considered the contract a positive step forward for the Springfield Police Department and its enactment of the DOJ consent decree.

“I believe that it is time for us to move forward,” said Hurst.

Ultimately, the City Council approved the contract in a unanimous vote.