Transit Police Chief Kenneth Green mentioned the brand new four-year contract permitted by the MBTA Board of Directors on Thursday will enhance competitiveness and enhance retention at a division that was dropping 10 to 12 officers per yr.
The retroactive settlement between the MBTA and Police Association features a roughly 18% wage enhance over 4 years, from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027. The common annual elevate is roughly 4.5%, the T mentioned in a press release.
Green, a 32-year Transit Police veteran, mentioned the variety of folks making use of to change into cops has declined sharply since he took his examination, from roughly 40-50,000 to 8-9,000.
“That pool is being picked out by over 300 police agencies in the state, but with this new contract, what it does is it goes a long way in helping us stabilize our department, as well as to increase the headcount of the MBTA police department,” Green mentioned. “It makes us very competitive with other departments to obtain new hires.”
The decrease wages had been driving officers away, he mentioned, noting that 10-12 folks had been leaving per yr, and the issue was so pronounced final yr that at one level, the division was “down 90 bodies.”
“That’s a big hit,” Green mentioned. “But with this new contract, that just brings us back in the game.”
The contract contains retirement eligible retention bonuses and a one-time bonus for eligible retirees to defer retirement to the tip of 2024. It additionally implements a long life bonus program at 10, 15, 20 and 25 years to handle present staffing shortages and retain frontline officers, the T mentioned.
Sixteen of the 42 recruits in an incoming MBTA Transit Police Academy class that begins Dec. 11 will be a part of the TPD. Two officers from Medford and Lexington are transferring to the T police as nicely, the company mentioned.
“We are steadfast in our commitment to rebuilding our workforce, including our Transit Police officers responsible for protecting the public and our workers,” MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng mentioned in a press release.
“This contract, and the speed at which we reached an agreement convey our understanding of the difficult but vital role our brave officers perform, putting the safety of our riders first every day.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”