Longevity bonuses aim to stem cop retirements

West Hartford’s most senior officers offered thousands

As neighboring communities struggle to keep police officers and attract recruits, West Hartford has signed a contract that offers its most senior officers thousands of extra dollars a year to stay on the job.

The unusual offer is intended to retain trained officers and spread out a potential cluster of approaching retirements. It amounts to an annual bonus over each of the next three years for officers with 20 years of service or more.

Thepolice union ratified the contract last month, and the town council unanimously approved it Monday night.

Rick Ledwith, the town’s human relations director, emphasized that the special longevity bonuses aren’t planned to become a permanent part of police compensation in West Hartford. Instead, they will sunset after three years, which gives the town time to space out the wave of retirements and steadily recruit new officers to fill those jobs.

“Very high on our list of priorities was to negotiate a contract that would help with recruitment and retention, particularly with the events of this past spring where policing throughout the country was faced — and continues to be faced — with tremendous scrutiny,” Ledwith said.

The agreement extends most terms of the current contract through June 30, 2024. Police accepted some insurance changes that will save the town money, and will get across-the-board raises of 1% this June, 1.5% in June of 2022 and 2% in June of 2023.

Ledwith said those raises will cost about $130,000 in the first year.

In addition, the town is providing a 5% annual incentive to officers who are eligible to retire but agree to stay. So senior lieutenants currently paid $113,594 will go to $114,730 this June with the general wage increase; but those with 20 or more years on the job will get an additional $5,736 though the “super step” longevity bonus in the contract — bringing the annual wage to $120,466.

Ledwith noted that the 120-officer department has about 15 officers eligible to retire between nowandDecember, with another 15 able to leave within a year after that.

“We’re trying to find ways to not have that brain drain. We want to keep the talent here as we continue to mentor our very young officers and new supervisors,” Chief Vernon Riddick said.

Riddick said that when he sought the West Hartford job three years ago, he told Town Manager Matt Hart that settling a solid contract with the union in 2021 was vital. Thenit became even more important.

“That was not anticipating George Floyd, that was not anticipating COVID 19,” Riddick said. “It was mission-critical to get this done.”

The agreement maintains West Hartford’s rank as one of the higher-paid police agencies in Connecticut.

The town council endorsed the contract without dissent. Most councilors took the opportunity to praise the police force, noting that it maintains strong community relations and a solid reputation even amidst a year when law enforcement nationally has come under criticism.

“Every day your officers protect this community — you show up when calls are made, youprovide that communityservice,” said council memberCarol Blanks, chair of the public safety committee. “I think this is well deserved.”