Hanover Park police get contract

Following months of negotiations that Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig called arduous, trustees approved a three-year contract for the police union.

The agreement, which affects 45 patrol officers, is retroactive to Nov. 1, 2008. It calls for salary increases of 3.5 percent that date, 3.25 percent the following year and finally 2.75 percent effective Nov. 1 this year.

"I think it's a fair contract and one that's on par with comparable police departments in the area," said Village Manager Ron Moser, the former police chief.

Police officers will receive back pay in a lump sum.

Minor changes from the previous deal include small dollar increases in the perfect attendance and physical fitness incentive programs, as well as higher pay for performing assistant team leader and field training officer duties.

One concession by the union reduced the amount of compensatory time - or overtime - to a maximum of 80 hours per calendar year. Before, there was no limit.

The contract keeps a bonus for officers who pass a foreign language proficiency test, something that was first added in 2005. Scoring at the highest level on the Spanish and Polish tests translates to a $900 annual bonus. Officers can receive up to $600 annually for being proficient in other languages.

"We actually toned this contract back since the economy took a turn, but I think this shows how much we value our police department," Craig said.

Craig also said the department is especially deserving of the contract given overtime put in last year due to a spike in crime that included four homicides in a two-week period.

"It was a tough year last year with the understaffing and the time they spent away from their families," he said. "We're not giving away the store, but this is a commitment to public safety in Hanover Park."

In the past year, the police department gained three sworn officers. Four more hires have been budgeted for the next fiscal year beginning May 1, which would bring the total to 61.