The Valparaiso Board of Works has approved a two-year agreement with the city's police officers.
City Administrator Bill Oeding says the contract will bring officers two percent above the midpoint of a recent wage study — and allow officers who attend qualified schools to get a pay bump after six years, rather than eight. "The key for these officers is to get the schooling as quickly as possible and to make sure they're trained and prepared," Oeding told the board of works Friday.
Additionally, officers moving to Valparaiso from another police department will be able to keep the same amount of paid time off. "We thought that was a fair and a simple thing that we could do to attract qualified police officers," Oeding added.
The city also agreed to let police go back to managing their own uniform program, rather than outsourcing part of it.
The contract negotiations are part of Valparaiso's budgeting process. A public hearing on the proposed 2024 budget is scheduled for Monday's city council meeting.
