Brian Coddington, Communications Director, 509.625.6740
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 1:07 p.m.
The City has reached a tentative agreement on a 4-year contract with the Spokane Police Guild, which represents officers and sergeants.
The contract is competitive with other regional agencies that recruit and hire in the same candidate pool. Other agencies in the state have recently settled on raises that previously put Spokane behind the market rates. The contract must be approved by the City Council and would be retroactive to the beginning of the year.
“We have a community that is very welcoming and supportive of the department and its officers,” Mayor Nadine Woodward said. “This contract shows the City’s commitment to retain and recruit a strong, professional, and experienced force.”
The contract includes raises in each of the four years, including 5 percent this year, provides additional compensation for educational achievement, and gives lateral officers credit for years of service in another department. It also gives the ombudsman the 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.
A number of factors played a part in structuring the contract, including competitive landscape, officer morale, and staffing needs. Paying additional compensation for completing an associates or bachelor's degree improves the educational attainment level and reinforces the department’s emphasis on continuous improvement. Giving lateral officers credit for years of service at other departments will help attract candidates that can get onto patrol faster, having an immediate impact on overtime and staffing, and saving the department significant training costs.
The contract goes to the full Guild membership for ratification. That process will take a week to 10 days.
