Authorize Letter of Agreement between the City and the Portland Police Association to ensure Police Officers receive a higher rate of pay upon promotion to Sergeant, Detective, or Criminalist and to amend the hiring process for Public Safety Specialists
The City of Portland ordains:
Section 1. The Council finds:
- The City and the Portland Police Association (PPA) are parties to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) effective July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2025.
- The CBA establishes the pay scale for Officer, Sergeant, Detective, and Criminalist.
- The current Schedule "A" of the CBA provides that officers who are promoting to the rank of Sergeant, Detective, or Criminalist be placed at the step that is at least 1.75% higher than the Police Officer's pay step upon promotion. In some instances, this language results in a promoted officer making less than the officer would have made if the officer was not promoted.
- The Letter of Agreement amends the final paragraph in Schedule A - Salary Rates of the CBA as follows: A Police Officer promoted to Sergeant, Detective, or Criminalist from lower than the top step of the Police Officer pay scale will be placed at the step on the Sergeant, Detective, or Criminalist pay scale that is at least one and three-quarters percent (1.75%) higher than the step that is one step higher than the Police Officer's pay step on the Police Officer pay scale upon promotion.
- The City and PPA have an interest in ensuring that sworn members who are promoted to the Sergeant, Detective, or Criminalist pay scale receive a higher pay rate than if they had not been promoted, which the amended language provides.
- The City agrees that this change will apply retroactively to the date of promotion for the members London Westerlund and Torrey Streed.
- Additionally, the City and PPA have an interest in modifying the Officer hiring process for current Public Safety Support Specialists.
- The City agrees that disqualifying events for Public Safety Support Specialist may be different than those disqualifying events for a Police Officer position.
- Further, the City agrees that when a current Public Safety Support Specialist is disqualified for a sworn position during the psychological evaluation process, they will be allowed to re-apply after six (6) months for a vacant sworn Police Officer position and may again reapply thereafter consistent with City policy.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- The Director of the Bureau of Human Resources is authorized to enter into a Letter of Agreement, Exhibit A, between the City and Portland Police Association.
- This ordinance is binding City policy.
Official Record (Efiles)
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Mary Hull Caballero
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
Officers below top step of the officer pay scale do not receive a promotional increase that is consistent with officers promoting from the top of class scale into Sergeant, Detective, or Criminalist positions. The Letter of Agreement will rectify this issue and will pay two promoted officers (London Westerlund and Torrey Streed) retroactively to July 1, 2022.
The change in the officer hiring process for Public Support Specialists will continue to encourage those civilian employees interested in promoting to sworn positions to apply. It allows those Public Safety Support Specialists to re-apply every six months should they fail the pre-hire psychological exam for sworn Police Officer.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
This Letter of Agreement is expected to cost the Portland Police Bureau an estimated $78,000 to $82,000 per year based on the average number of promotions from 2018-2022, assuming promotions to occur within at least the 5-year Officer step.
No budgetary impact is expected for the change in the Officer hiring process for current Public Safety Support Specialists.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
Not applicable.
100% Renewable Goal
Not applicable.
Financial and Budget Analysis
This Letter of Agreement is expected to cost the Portland Police Bureau an estimated $78,000 to $82,000 per year based on the average number of promotions from 2018-2022, assuming promotions to occur within at least the 5-year Officer step. No budgetary impact is expected for the change in the Officer hiring process for current Public Safety Support Specialists.