Downey police groups defer salary increases

By WAVE STAFF

Story Created: Jul 22, 2010 at 10:52 AM PST

Story Updated: Jul 22, 2010 at 10:52 AM PST

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DOWNEY — Surprised and pleased City Council members have accepted offers from Police Chief Rick Esteves and two police bargaining units to delay for one year pay hikes promised in contracts approved two years ago.

The voluntary action will save the city about $773,000 in salaries in the coming year, City Manager Gerald Caton said.

“They didn’t have to do this. This shows they are real team players,” City Councilman Mario Guerra.

“This is almost unheard of,” Caton said, noting that the agreement was unanimous among some 70 members of the Police Officers Association.

In a written report to the City Council July 13, Human Resources Director Irma Youssefieh said the current contract with the Police Officers Association,
representing officers and sergeants, took effect June 30, 2008 and called for a 4.25 percent increase in the third year, beginning June 30, 2010.

She said association members have agreed to defer that hike to June 30, 2011. They have the option to delay it further to June 30, 2012.

It means pay hikes totaling $588,724 will be deferred to next year, she said.

Members of the Police Management Association, representing lieutenants and captains, voted to also defer a 4.25 percent salary increase, totaling $103,322 to June 30, 2011, Youssefieh said.

The 2008 contract for Chief Esteves calls for him to move into the salary range of $14,508 to $17,700 a month as of June 28, a 4.754 percent hike. He will stay in his current range for the coming year, Youssefieh said.

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