BY ADRIANA HERNANDEZ
Daily Post Staff Writer
Palo Alto council may approve a new agreement with police officers for a 3.5% raise and a $200 bonus each month.
The raises and benefits will cost $6.4 million over the proposed three-year contract, according to a report from Human Resources Director Sandra Blanch.
The highest salary an officer can earn with the three-year contract is $179,795 annually, Blanch said.
The contract adds 5% bonus for officers who are assigned to field training, patrol on a motorcycle, take care of a police dog or are bilingual.
Officers will be paid for holidays including a 13th holiday known as “A Day of Reflection.”
A program to help keep employees will also provide a 3% bonus.
All officers who have been working for 10 years will receive 3% base pay increase.
Officers with 15 years of service will receive 6%.
The city’s contribution to medical benefits will be 2% for just officers, officers with a partner will receive 3% and with families 5%. By January 2028, it will increase to 4%.
Council will vote on the raises on Monday, Aug. 11.
Does this compensation package provide pay for performance or for presence? How might the City incentivize the absolute best and most ethical performance by their safety employees? Health and welfare immediately comes to mind as a significant aspect of that perspective for safety employees, regardless of rank, role or position.
How about some creative compensation packages and planning to support the mutual purposes of the employees, the organization and the community? It would seem that strategic, as well as succession, planning should be associated with compensation packages for virtually any municipality. Regrettably I am not seeing it here, nor in other local municipalities.