Seattle police officers approve contract

The Seattle Police officers have approved a new contract with the City of Seattle.

The Seattle Police Officers Guild said on Thursday that 96 percent of the 1059 ballots counted voted to approve the contract.

SPOG released these details:

“The contract contains significant wage increases, changes to the OPA disciplinary system to include the new Inspector General position and two civilian investigators for the Office of Police Accountability, and the acceptance of the Body Worn Video Camera Program. As a result of this agreement SPOG will be withdrawing all of the Unfair Labor Practice Complaints concerning Body Worn Video, Accountability Legislation, and Civilians in OPA.”

Officers have been working for more than 3 1/2 years without a contract. The new contract is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2015 and expires Dec. 31, 2020.

“This marks the end of a long negotiation process,” Sergeant Rich O’Neill, Seattle Police Guild Vice President said in a news release. “This contract recognizes the hard work done by all Seattle Police Officers and rightfully compensates them as the highest paid officers in Washington State. It is my hope that this new deal will assist in recruiting and retaining officers for the Seattle Police Department. The contract also illustrates, once again, that SPOG is willing to accept changes to the accountability system as long as that change is achieved at the bargaining table and both sides bargain in good faith.”

Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest