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Detroit police officers getting 4% raise in 2016

Posted at 5:57 PM, Nov 30, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-30 17:57:41-05

Detroit city officials and police union presidents have reached a tentative agreement that would allow for a 4 percent increase in pay for all sworn police officers in January 2016.

Starting pay for a Detroit Police officer $31,700. The increase would take the annual salary to $36,000.

The move is intended to retain officers that are leaving to work for other departments that pay higher salaries.

The current contract is not set to expire until 2019, but the proposed contract would be extended to 2020.

The annual 2.5 percent increases in the current contract would remain. And a 3 percent increase would be included for the additional year of the contract.

In hopes of encouraging officers to continue their education, the city will reimburse $2,000 a year in tuition costs.

Officers with two years of college would also get an additional 2 percent increase in pay in January 2016.

Sergeants and lieutenants with four years of college would also get the additional 2 percent.

Mayor Mike Duggan says much of the plan to pay for the salary increases includes $30 million that was saved in consulting fees stemming from the city's bankruptcy.

Police officials have also trimmed $5 million dollars in annual operating costs.

And millions are expected to be saved by using capital funds to build a new police precinct instead of using money from operations.

The proposed contract must still be approved by the members of the police unions, Detroit City Council, and the state-appointed Financial Review Commission.

The commission must approve any collective bargaining agreements.

The mayor expects to address increasing the pay for firefighters and EMTs in January.