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The city of Minneapolis and its police union have reached a tentative contract agreement.

Under the proposed contract, officers would receive incentives totaling $7,000 in addition to yearly raises of 1 to 2.5 percent. A summary of the contract is available on the city’s website.

New employees would receive $3,500 upon completion of the Field Training Program and an additional $3,500 upon completion of probation. For current employees, there would be one immediate $3,500 payment upon ratification and the next would come if the officer stays on the force through the end of this year.

 covers 2020-2022, meaning any bonuses and additional raises would be retroactive and a new contract would be decided next year.

The contract also calls for a new mandatory mental health screening prior to returning to duty following a “critical incident,” and for increased authority of the chief to determine the “proper” role changes for an officer following the incident.

The potential agreement comes amid the city’s intention to hire up to 200 more officers as soon as possible. City officials say Mayor Jacob Frey supports the contract. Frey has long supported adding officers to the force, which is down by one-third since the unrest following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer in May 2020.

City officials and law enforcement union leaders across the state have said many left the profession 

 or went to other departments across the state where they felt better supported. 

Minn. lawmakers push bonuses, loan relief to recruit cops

Worse than anticipated

The contract also states that the union will have to update all language to be gender neutral, make a statement of “support for city efforts to advance race and gender equity” and a statement “regarding the role of Police in the community.”

Police community relations were already at a low point before then officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes. Chauvin was later convicted of murder. The killing, captured on video, touched off worldwide protests and energized an effort to replace the Police Department with a new department of public safety.

However, last November a majority of voters rejected the proposal. The Minneapolis City Council, which is made up of seven new members, will consider another

 to overhaul the Police Department. But, unlike the ballot measure which failed to pass, this plan would keep the department intact. 

Minneapolis City Council members will discuss specifics of a tentative contract agreement with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis later this month. 

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Nina Moini

Author

According to a summary of the tentative agreement, Minneapolis officers would receive incentives totaling $7,000 in addition to yearly raises of 1 to 2.5 percent. 

Proposed contract offers raises, incentive payments to MPD officers

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