PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Details on the tentative agreement reached between the City of Portland and the Portland Police Association last week were released on Tuesday.
The new collective bargaining agreement includes expanding the Portland Street Response (PSR) program, which began February 2021, along with more pay for crisis intervention training, retention bonuses, higher pay for higher education degrees and cost of living adjustments.
However, the agreement does not include a policy on body worn cameras and remains up for discussion, which was also announced last week.
Body worn cameras have been requested by the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the requests between federal officials and the City of Portland surrounding a 2014 joint settlement agreement, which the DOJ found the Portland Police Bureau not in compliance due to use of force during the 2020 protests.
The contract runs through June 30, 2025 and must still be approved by Portland City Council and a majority of the police union members.
The tentative agreement also included guidance on disciplinary action.
According to the agreement, “disciplinary action or measures shall include only the following: written reprimand, suspension, demotion or termination.”
The agreement included that disciplinary action will be with “just cause and will be subject to the grievance procedure.”
As far as demotion or termination, the agreement states that PPA members are subject to civil service procedure.
The agreement also states “the City has reason to reprimand or discipline an officer, it shall be done in a manner that is least likely to embarrass the officer before other officers or the public, in cases of public concern, the City may provide procedural updates on the status of the investigation and disciplinary process,”
“I’m encouraged by the tone of the conversation and the approach from everyone at the table. The best solutions come when we work together and find common ground. That’s the way progress is made, and I’m committed to always engaging with greater clarity and focus,” PPA President Sgt. Aaron Schmautz said in a press release.
In a separate press release, Mayor Ted Wheeler said “I want to thank both sides of this labor negotiation for the difficult work they put in to bring this contract to a close. It is important to me that we are able to attract and keep quality police officers and that we have a discipline guide that ensures our officers are held accountable for their actions. We also agreed on an approach to develop and expand Portland Street Response in a way that allows for an integrated and appropriate public safety response, including responding to 911 calls for people experiencing mental health crisis. These accomplishments are gained by this new agreement.”
The agreement will go to PPA’s police membership for a vote on Wednesday and the city is holding a public question and answer session on Thursday.
City Council is expected to hold a final vote on February 24, 2022, according to PPA.
