Lawmakers OK Suffolk County police union contract, with pay set to bump up 18% over 5 years
Louis Civello, president of the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association, is congratulated by Legis. Steven Flotteron after the legislature approved a new five-year police union contract on Tuesday. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved a new contract between the county and the police department’s largest labor union, activating an agreement that will raise officers' base pay by 18% over five years.
Legislators voted 17-0 Tuesday, with one member absent, to adopt a resolution clearing the county executive to execute the agreement on the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association contract that runs Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2029.
Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the deputy presiding officer, said in an interview after the vote at the Evans K. Griffing County Center in Riverhead that he believes the contract is "not overly aggressive at all."
"It’s barely keeping pace with inflation," he said.
Salary costs, including longevity pay, stipends and additional costs, are estimated to cost taxpayers $229 million more over the length of the contract, according to the Suffolk Legislature's Budget Review Office report analyzing the memorandum of agreement.
PBA president Louis Civello told Newsday he believes it’s a fair contract that helps retain younger officers by reducing the steps to increased pay and keeps the department as "the most well-trained, well-equipped police department in the country."
"What I heard from the newer members, it was I can afford to weather the storm, I just can’t afford to weather the storm for 11½ years," Civello said.
The 1,846-member union "overwhelmingly" voted to ratify the contract in late February shortly after the county and union reached an agreement, Civello previously told Newsday.
The pay increases are staggered between 3% and 4% per year over the contract, according to the Budget Review Office report, which concluded the fiscal impact was "reasonable" but warned the following years could introduce "volatility" to the budget. The agreement also shortens the time it takes officers to reach the top step to nine years, according to the report.
Starting pay for officers increases by $5,000 to $50,000, Civello said, and increases each year by the respective percentage.
County Executive Edward P. Romaine on Tuesday thanked the legislators for approving the contract — the first major agreement between the county and all the unions whose contracts expired Dec. 31.
He said the county is actively negotiating contracts with an eye toward “fair and just” agreements.
“The one thing I do want to do is provide a fair contract and make sure that we can retain and recruit people to county service,” he said. “It is a noble service.”
Civello said the contract has "significant concessions," from relaxed overtime rules to changes to sick time rules that allow the county more oversight to ensure an officer is actually sick, as well pulling back previously filed grievances that "could have been very costly for the county had those got adjudicated."
He said the union also agreed to concessions on cellphones, which can open the possibility of the county providing more officers government-issued cellphones for work duty.
He said the union waived any right to be compensated for the phones.
Legis. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), a retired Suffolk County detective, gave a tepid endorsement of the contract, voting in favor but criticizing the union leadership for the benefits it receives in addition to the members.
The Budget Review Office report said officers in special sections, such as the emergency services and motorcycle sections, would continue to receive supplemental task force stipends valued at 2.5% of the top step salary, Newsday previously reported.
The PBA Board of Governors and PBA delegates would also receive a 2.5% increase, the report said.
"I'm hoping they take some of that money and distribute it for mental health services, for members who need it," Trotta said before the vote.
Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) said the PBA members "overwhelmingly supported this contract by almost 100%, so I don't think they have a problem with it."
Trotta said he's a "firm believer" that police officers should be able to afford a home and "deserve to get a raise," but he hopes "the economy can sustain this."
Civello said the county is "fiscally solvent" and the contract fulfills the county executive's campaign promise to support public safety.
"We're acutely aware that the taxpayers have to foot the bill, but we do think what the taxpayers are investing here is certainly worthwhile," he said.
The Suffolk County Legislature unanimously approved a new contract between the county and the police department’s largest labor union, activating an agreement that will raise officers' base pay by 18% over five years.
Legislators voted 17-0 Tuesday, with one member absent, to adopt a resolution clearing the county executive to execute the agreement on the Suffolk County Police Benevolent Association contract that runs Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2029.
Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the deputy presiding officer, said in an interview after the vote at the Evans K. Griffing County Center in Riverhead that he believes the contract is "not overly aggressive at all."
"It’s barely keeping pace with inflation," he said.
Salary costs, including longevity pay, stipends and additional costs, are estimated to cost taxpayers $229 million more over the length of the contract, according to the Suffolk Legislature's Budget Review Office report analyzing the memorandum of agreement.
PBA president Louis Civello told Newsday he believes it’s a fair contract that helps retain younger officers by reducing the steps to increased pay and keeps the department as "the most well-trained, well-equipped police department in the country."
"What I heard from the newer members, it was I can afford to weather the storm, I just can’t afford to weather the storm for 11½ years," Civello said.
The 1,846-member union "overwhelmingly" voted to ratify the contract in late February shortly after the county and union reached an agreement, Civello previously told Newsday.
The pay increases are staggered between 3% and 4% per year over the contract, according to the Budget Review Office report, which concluded the fiscal impact was "reasonable" but warned the following years could introduce "volatility" to the budget. The agreement also shortens the time it takes officers to reach the top step to nine years, according to the report.
Starting pay for officers increases by $5,000 to $50,000, Civello said, and increases each year by the respective percentage.
County Executive Edward P. Romaine on Tuesday thanked the legislators for approving the contract — the first major agreement between the county and all the unions whose contracts expired Dec. 31.
He said the county is actively negotiating contracts with an eye toward “fair and just” agreements.
“The one thing I do want to do is provide a fair contract and make sure that we can retain and recruit people to county service,” he said. “It is a noble service.”
Civello said the contract has "significant concessions," from relaxed overtime rules to changes to sick time rules that allow the county more oversight to ensure an officer is actually sick, as well pulling back previously filed grievances that "could have been very costly for the county had those got adjudicated."
He said the union also agreed to concessions on cellphones, which can open the possibility of the county providing more officers government-issued cellphones for work duty.
He said the union waived any right to be compensated for the phones.
Legis. Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), a retired Suffolk County detective, gave a tepid endorsement of the contract, voting in favor but criticizing the union leadership for the benefits it receives in addition to the members.
The Budget Review Office report said officers in special sections, such as the emergency services and motorcycle sections, would continue to receive supplemental task force stipends valued at 2.5% of the top step salary, Newsday previously reported.
The PBA Board of Governors and PBA delegates would also receive a 2.5% increase, the report said.
"I'm hoping they take some of that money and distribute it for mental health services, for members who need it," Trotta said before the vote.
Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst) said the PBA members "overwhelmingly supported this contract by almost 100%, so I don't think they have a problem with it."
Trotta said he's a "firm believer" that police officers should be able to afford a home and "deserve to get a raise," but he hopes "the economy can sustain this."
Civello said the county is "fiscally solvent" and the contract fulfills the county executive's campaign promise to support public safety.
"We're acutely aware that the taxpayers have to foot the bill, but we do think what the taxpayers are investing here is certainly worthwhile," he said.
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
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