Council OKs 3-year police contract

COEUR d’ALENE — The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year contract with the Coeur d’Alene Police Association.

“Officers, before you leave, I want you to know that I very much appreciate all that you do for us, keeping us safe,” Mayor Jim Hammond said to about 10 police officers at the meeting in the Library Community Room. “It means a lot. We take it for granted sometimes. This is a very safe community and we wouldn’t have that without you.”

Some officers shook hands with City Administrator Troy Tymesen and City Attorney Randy Adams after the contract was approved.

The deal, which is effective as of Oct. 1, provides sworn officers an 8% cost-of-living adjustment increase in year one, 4.5% in year two and 2.5% in year three.

It also adjusts military leave benefits, provides sick and bereavement leave eligibility for cohabiting domestic partners and clarifies the notice required for a change in an employee’s work schedule.

The council recently approved a recruitment program that will provide $80,000 to help attract eight lateral officers.

The police department, with a budget of $22.1 million, consistently has had more than 10 openings in the past several months. When fully staffed, it has nearly 100 sworn officers.

“The challenge with our police association is the fact we are struggling to find additional members of that great group of people,” Tymesen said. “So in this contract, you will see flavored in here ways in which we are seeking to bring on phenomenal officers to keep our city safe."

The contract also gives the association representation in the hiring process for a police chief.

Lee White has been the city’s police chief since 2014.

“The association is very eager to make sure we have them represented in the event that we hire a police chief. There is nothing against the current chief,” Tymesen said. "Although the association did have some fun in this particular area. There’s nothing that we see in the future with our current chief, who was actually at the negotiations.”

Councilwoman Christie Wood, who retired as a sergeant from the Coeur d'Alene Police Department in 2015 after 26 years of service, praised her fellow council members for their support of police.

“Every year you come forward and you walk the talk and you put public safety first for our policy and fire," she said. "And I really appreciate that commitment. I feel it from all of you."

She noted that both the city and police association made concessions in reaching the contract that runs through Sept 30, 2025.

"This is a serious commitment from this council for police and fire and for public safety,” Wood said.

The City Council in September unanimously approved a two-year contract with Coeur d’Alene firefighters.

Councilman Dan Gookin said many cities have elected officials who want to defund police and are “literally at war with their own police department.”

“It is so refreshing to see that this city, we support and respect our police department, all you guys, and the job you do," Gookin said.

He said he hopes the contract solves personnel issues and police continue to do tremendous work. He added that crime was down 60% in the city.

"All we have to do is compare what’s going on right outside of us in the county and see what it's like to have an outstanding police force," he said.

"Agreed," Wood said.