Hoffman Estates approves three-year contract with police officers

Hoffman Estates officials and police union members have approved a new three-year contract retroactive to Jan. 1.

The contract provides for salary increases for the police department's approximately 75 patrol officers of 2.75% this year, then 2.5% in 2023 and 2.25% in 2024.

Annual career service incentive payments that begin on the 15th, 20th and 25th anniversaries of service are also being increased from $750, $1,000 and $1,250 to $1,000, $1,250 and $1,500, respectively.

Union members ratified the contract April 4 and it was approved by a 6-0 vote of the village board Monday. Trustee Gary Pilafas was absent.

Deputy Village Manager Dan O'Malley said both parties' approval of the contract was a little late largely due to the start of negotiations being delayed by ongoing talks with the firefighters' union.

At the police union's request, negotiations were done without attorneys present, O'Malley said. Such a demonstration of trust on the part of the union was not unprecedented, but the last time it happened was some years ago, he added.

Union President Rich Turman said he thought the process could work well without having attorneys in the room, and he believes he was proved correct. This was the first time during his service to the department that the negotiations were handled that way, he added.

"I think the negotiations went well," Turman said. "I don't have anything bad to say about how things went."

As union president, he said his highest priority was to reach a contract that incentivized people coming to and staying with the department - goals not easy to achieve these days.

Sergeants in the Hoffman Estates Police Department have a union of their own, but all the ranks above them are not union employees.

The approved pay increases are within budget expectations, Village Manager Eric Palm said.