The Marion County Board has approved a three year contract with the Fraternal Order of Police at the sheriff's department to provide a three dollar an hour raise in the first year beginning December first and one-dollar an hour for the following two years. The contract will cover deputies, correctional officers, and communications officers.
Unlike the past, the board sat down with the local FOP leadership to hammer out the agreement with no attorney involved from either side. Sheriff Andy Garden praised the board for taking the action which he says will once again make the department competitive with other law enforcement agencies.
“We have certified homicide investigators that handle our own homicides, we are self sufficient. That’s another thing is to retain them here. Because not only the pay but how many other professions are you going to get prosecuted if you make a mistake in your job. Not sued, but prosecuted and maybe go to jail. And that is what these people have to deal with all the time.”
Lieutenant Anthony Decker said the mood of the FOP members was much different when learning of the sit down meeting where the union approved the contract.
“The jaws were dropping in this room. Like really, we don’t have to go to arbitration? No they met with us in a room human to human. So regardless of what you vote on or do tonight, what has happened has been incredible to see.”
Decker said they would like to build on the new relationship with the board and get rid of the adversarial relationship of the past which saw the last three year contract just settled two months before it ended after going to arbitration.
County Board Chair Debbie Smith feels the meeting and agreement was appropriate with the current shortage of law enforcement employees.
“It was very reasonable and we have the quarter percent sales tax. The money is already there. It’s not costing the tax payer any extra money. And they are lower than the average pay scale on other area counties and it was just time to do it. We had to get these guys on their schedule as well as their pace and we don’t want to lose them. They work long hours, holidays, 24-7.”
Labor Committee Chair Adam Smith added the board wanted to be proactive in increasing law enforcement spending at a time others are calling for defunding the police. Debbie Smith says they also need to address wage issues among courthouse employees in future contracts.
