City, Police Agree to New Employment Contract

The City Council and the Beverly Hills Police Officers Association have reached an agreement for a new five-year employment contract. 

Months of negotiations were concluded with the two parties tentatively agreeing to a 1 percent overall increase in salary and a two-tiered retirement program. 

“The security of Beverly Hills citizens is the most important service the city provides,” Mayor Barry Brucker said in a statement. “We are delighted to have reached this important milestone and agreed on a fair compensation package for our police officers that also complements our goals for fiscal responsibility and sustainability for the city.”

Some features of the tentative agreement include: 

• Starting Jan. 1, 2014, all employees will begin paying part of the employee contribution to their pensions. This contribution will be phased in over the contract period. Pension contributions will reach 4 percent by the end of the five-year contract.
• With phased-in, cost-of-living pay increases of 5 percent, the total increase in compensation over the five-year contract is 1 percent.
• Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all employees will have available an array of benefits to choose from. If a medical plan exceeds a preset limit, the additional amount will be paid for by the employee.

The two-tiered retiree benefit changes include:

• Employees hired after July 1, 2012, can retire at age 55 with a pension based on 3 percent of their salary for each year of service. 
• Employees hired after July 1, 2012, will base their pension on the average of their three highest salary years, rather than the single highest year. 
• Employees hired after March 1, 2012, will have a defined contribution toward a retiree medical health savings account. 

The Beverly Hills Police Officers Association currently represents 118 sworn police officers. 

“The members of the Beverly Hills Police Officers Association are excited that we have reached this tentative agreement with the city,” BHPOA President Sgt. Terry Nutall said in a statement. “Our members truly value the opportunity to serve in a community that supports its police department like no other.” 

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