Bristol Township Council approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Bristol Township Police Benevolent Association last month.
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The contract, which was ratified without going to arbitration, includes a transition from eight-hour to 12-hour shifts for officers and modifications to holiday pay and part-time employment policies.
Township Manager Randee Mazur said the new deal is aiming to improve officer retention and competitiveness with neighboring departments.
“It’s technically a 4.5 percent raise, but the raise will be 4 percent with a 5 percent for shift differential,” Mazur explained.
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The new agreement will reduce the time it takes for officers to reach their maximum pay rate from five years to four years. Additionally, longevity increases will now be added as a dollar amount to officers’ salaries.
Mazur noted that the contract negotiations were conducted with cooperation by both sides.
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“It was really nice to work with this contract committee. Very reasonable understanding, fighting for the PBA, but also recognizing where they work, who they work for,” she said.
New hires will see a reduction in the maximum accumulation of sick hours and related payouts. The contract also establishes an irrevocable decision deadline for officers considering the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP), which lets officers give advanced notice of their retirement so payments go into interest-earning account and they will receive a check at retirement. The DROP payments, which are often large, are in addition to pension checks and other money owned for unused time off.
Officers hired under the new contract will no longer receive the severance pay of 480 hours to be added to their pension, a benefit that was available to current officers.
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In an effort to attract experienced officers, the contract includes a provision allowing new hires from accredited police departments to start at a third-year salary level.
More than a decade ago, Bristol Township and its police union went through a tough contract process that led to an arbitrator settling it.
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“This would be the second contract within the last five years that have gone through without having to go to arbitration,” Mazur noted.
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