Carol Stream police get pay raise

Carol Stream police officers will receive a 2 percent pay raise during the first year of a new three-year contract, but financial terms for the remainder still are being negotiated.

Illinois Fraternal Order of Police attorney Jeffery Burke, who was part of a team representing officers during negotiations, said the agreement was "satisfactory."

"Everybody understands that, in these economic times, they are not going to do as well as they have in the past," he said. "It was nothing to write home about. But it was satisfactory to our members."

Key components of the agreement include a new stipend for detectives on call, a requirement that officers be reachable electronically in case of emergency overtime and two days of bereavement leave for the death of grandchildren.

The village board approved the contract Tuesday. Officers ratified the deal Jan. 7. Negotiations began last spring and continued past the end of last year's contract on April 30.

The pact goes into effect immediately. The two sides will continue to negotiate wages and health insurance for the second and third years.

As part of the deal, detectives will receive a $10 stipend for each 24-hour period they are on call. It will be the first such on-call pay in Carol Stream but Burke said the money is standard at most other police departments.

He estimated the contract will cover between 55 and 65 officers at the department.

"We are happy to get the wage increase, we are happy to get the improvements for detectives," Burke said. "Overall, both parties got something out of it that they wanted. That's the give-and-take of negotiations."

Village President Frank Saverino said the village board continues to face tough financial times and negotiators on both sides acknowledged that.

"The bottom line is, do I think they deserve more? I really do," he said. "But we don't have the money to give it to them."