Town Reaches Tentative Deal with Princeton Police Union

Under a new contract slated to be approved next month by the Princeton governing body, police would receive a salary increase of 1.75 percent for this year retroactive to Jan. 1, a 1.75 percent increase for next year, and a 1.9 percent increase for 2015.

The agreement includes a new salary and wage scale that has more pay levels for officers and the contract eliminates longevity pay for any officer hired after Jan. 1 of 2013.

“The salary increase is fairly stable and is consistent with what other towns are doing,” Administrator Bob Bruschi said at the Monday night Princeton Council meeting. “We are right in the middle. Our goal was to have increases under two percent and we achieved that.”

Officers will be paid up to $900 a year for medical expenses not covered by insurance, including vision care. Employees hired after Jan. 1 of 2013 will be reimbursed $450 a year. The agreement also includes the retention of the former Princeton Township police department’s rank of corporal, a rank that did not exist in Princeton Borough.

An officer hired before 2013 would earl a salary of $88,252 during the fifth year of service and $105,700 during the eight year of service. A corporal would earn $112,777. A fifth year sergeant would earn $122,735. A lieutenant would earn $141,145. Anyone hired after January 1 of 2013 would not reach the $100,000 mark until their 10th year of service.

The department, comprised of 51 officers, has 13 sergeants as a result of the merger of the two Princetons. The 13 sergeants would earn a total base pay of $1.6 million this year if the contract is approved.

As part of the contract, officers hired before 2013 would still receive longevity pay each year. Officers who have served 10 years or more would receive three percent of their base pay, and officers who have worked in the police department 20 years or more would received five percent of their base pay for longevity pay. Specialty pay detectives would receive an additional $2,400 a year. All detectives and administrative personnel would receive a clothing allowance of $1,900 a year and the town would pay the dry cleaning bills for all police uniforms and the clothing for administrative personnel and detectives.

Officers would receive 18 days of comp time each year, 13 paid holidays, 3 days of personal leave, and four days of paid leave to participate in the Special Olympics of the police Unity Tour. Vacation time after one year of service would be three weeks. After 20 years of service an officer would receive 6 weeks of vacation pay per year.

The governing body is expected to approve the deal at a public meeting next month.