Omaha City Council members unanimously passed the proposed contract with the Omaha Police union during their meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The proposed police union contract is for five years, offering an average annual raise of 2.9% along with changes to pension and health care for Omaha Police officers.
Accountability is a key piece to the five-year deal. The new contract creates a simpler process for filing a complaint against an officer and implements a three-member reprimand committee to look at the lowest level of complaints.
Councilman Ben Gray said he was in favor of the progress the new contract makes regarding arbitration. While acknowledging the contract likely won’t appease critics of the department who have been calling for full transparency, the contract will more opportunities for officer evaluation. "One of the most notable things that was achieved in this contract was the two-year probationary period for police officers that are coming on the force,” Gray said.
Councilman Brinker Harding said he had been contacted by several people who wanted the council to push their decision to the spring and after the mayoral election, but the contract expires at the end of the year. “(The new contract) is fair on a compensation level and on an economic level,” he said.
Brinker said he was also in favor of the lengthened probationary period as well as improving the timeliness of reprimands. “I think, all in all, it’s a fair package,” he said, noting also that both sides had signed off on the agreement, which was collectively bargained.
Councilman Pete Festersen noted that the city’s appointment to the reprimand committee is appointed by the chief, not the mayor, with the idea of removing politics from the position. This also improves the appeals process, which currently go to the personnel board, which often results in lengthy delays. “And those decisions are binding,” he said. “This would make that better, I think.”
Festersen also asked Steve Curtis, from the city’s finance department, about the increase that exceeds the current police department budget, whether the city could handle the $30 million contract. Curtis said the accounting did work for the 2021 budget and it would not negatively impact the city’s budget.
The next question, then, is whether this contract does enough, Festersen said. “I know I have constituents who think it doesn’t, and I have constituents that think it goes to far,” he said. "But most want them to come to an agreement and see progress and improvement." Festersen said he thought the new contract does move the department forward.
Councilman Chris Jerram commented on the evolution of the police department during his tenure on the council, and talked about the expense and process that goes into arbitration should the negotiations continue. “The rates that are comparable city police officers are being paid is actually, the contract we have before us, less than what they would likely be awarded at the commission,” but at a savings, considering how much money would need to be paid to extend the process, he said.
Councilwoman Aimee Melton echoed the concern over voting “no” on the contract, saying that sending the contract into further negotiations wouldn’t satisfy those who don’t like the agreement before the council. “The things that they want, we can’t get out of this contract. And, in fact, if we go to the CIR (court of industrial relations), we will get something that those are against this contract will like even less,” she said, noting that the negotiation for police officer’s salaries can’t take place in an open forum.
Melton acknowledged the work of OPOA President Tony Conner and others who have spent “many many months” putting the contract together. “This was carefully negotiated, and I think it’s very fair,” Melton said.
Councilman Vincent Palermo said approving the contract was an easy choice. “Sometimes when you sit in this seat, people want you to be more direct, they want to hear the truth. The truth is, if you sit here, and you don’t back public safety, then shame on you,” he said. “You have to support the fire department. You have to support the police department. These are humans who make mistakes, but at the end of the day, you have to have a contract to make this work.” He said he supports the police, and therefore supports the contract.
(Photo by WOWT 6 News)