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Louisville mayor: Salary increase, benefits change in short-term FOP contract

The contract will only run through June 30, 2021, with Fischer saying community input was important before a new contract.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Mayor Greg Fischer said a resolution to formalize the city's short-term contract with the River City Fraternal Order of Police has been filed with Metro Council.

Fischer said the contract will only run through June 30, 2021 as it is important to hear the community's views and "reimagine public safety altogether." 

"It needs to be short. We need to be re-thinking how we're doing policing in the future," Councilman David Yates, (D-25), and chairman of the labor and economic committee, said.

In a statement, Fischer said the contract provides a salary increase and change of benefits, saying those changes are "necessary to have the most talented force possible." The starting salary will increase from about $35,500 to about $45,500. 

"Our officers have to be paid a competitive wage. We can't ask for the very best if we're not paying for the best," Yates said. 

"The loss of good officers, who can mentor our young officers, and the difficulty we have attracting a diverse pool of applicants are pressing issues that we needed to address to maintain public safety," Fischer said.

"That makes us somewhat more comparable. Hopefully it will ease some of the burdens for those working here now and allow us to recruit folks," River City FOP President Ryan Nichols, said.

Nichols said the short-term contract is a "step in the right direction," but not what he wants it to ultimately look like.

"We think it's a very logical smart thing to do right now to set something up short term, to give some relief and then to get right back at it. Both sides will have incentives to work out a stable more long-term deal."

The city and FOP will go back to the table to begin negotiating a long-term deal no later than Jan. 31. 

"This is a pause. This isn't the end-all. Because really, Metro Government is very restricted in what they can agree to right now because of restrictions at the state level," Yates said. 

The new contract includes one step towards police reform, with a housing incentive included for officers who choose to live in certain low-income parts of Jefferson Co.

When announcing the deal, Mayor Greg Fischer said more reforms will hopefully be set in stone in the long-term contract, but will require changes in state law.

"My commitment is to listen to the people and to make reforms to address the challenge of police legitimacy and trust, including steps to diversify LMPD to better represent the community it serves and to foster a culture that promotes transparency and accountability," Fisher said.

Additionally, the mayor called on the public to help encourage the General Assembly to act on police reform legislation when it begins its session in January.

"The public outcry for changes now does make a difference. I think your peaceful protests are actually heard and it resonates with people," Yates said.

"If we can have some of those talks to where we're both agreeable on some of those options then maybe it's something that both sides can lobby for in Frankfort," Nichols said. 

The mayor said the top-to-bottom review of the Louisville Metro Police Department and a new police chief will be two important steps to getting the community's input.

"My commitment is to listen to the people and to make reforms to address the challenge of police legitimacy and trust, including steps to diversify LMPD to better represent the community it serves and to foster a culture that promotes transparency and accountability," Fisher said.

Additionally, the mayor called on the public to help encourage the General Assembly to act on police reform legislation when it begins its session in January.

A Metro Council committee is expected to discuss the collective bargaining agreement, which can be read here, next week.

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