Pierce County deputies reject contract offer on 290-1 vote, claims pay falls short

The union representing Pierce County Sheriff’s Office’s rank-and-file employees overwhelmingly rejected the county executive’s latest contract proposal.

The union received a near-unanimous verdict—290 to 1 (99.7%)—in its rejection of County Executive Ryan Mello’s contract offer. The vote had a record-breaking 97% turnout.

“Public safety in Pierce County starts with the men and women who wear the badge. They deserve more than lip service,” the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild stated. “They deserve a contract that reflects the risks they take and the service they provide. The Executive’s offer simply doesn’t deliver.”

Mello’s contract features a pay raise of 10% over the next three years (4%, 3%, then 3%).

“After the third year, the Guild would be behind Tacoma PD even further than they are today,” Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank wrote on social media.

The two sides have been bargaining for more than a year. The union has previously described Mello as “difficult and disrespectful” during negotiations, according to The Tacoma News Tribune.

What the union wants

The guild is vying for a contract that gives its deputies near-equal pay with other neighboring policing agencies. The union cited that poor pay, working conditions, and staffing levels have caused employees to seek employment elsewhere. The staffing at the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has failed to surpass its staffing numbers from 20 years ago, while the population has grown by more than 220,000 people since 2000.

“Pierce County currently ranks at the bottom in Washington State for police staffing per capita, crippling the Sheriff’s Office’s ability to keep pace with growing demands across a vast jurisdiction,” the guild wrote. “Chronic underfunding and below-market pay have pushed Pierce County further behind in the fight to recruit and retain qualified deputies. Meanwhile, surrounding agencies offer better pay and working conditions, pulling candidates away and pushing current deputies to the brink. Our deputies are leaving.”

According to the Pierce County Deputy Sheriff’s Independent Guild, approximately 17 deputies are currently looking to leave the sheriff’s office for the Tacoma Police Department.

Swank has previously called out Mello during negotiations on social media.

While the Pierce County Executive doesn’t want to compensate our deputies fairly, Tacoma PD is trying to steal them by offering a $50k hiring bonus, 7% pay increase over their current rate of pay, 80 hours of vacation, and 80 hours of sick leave upon hiring.

— Sheriff Keith Swank (@Swank4America) June 7, 2025

Additionally, the union representing sheriff’s deputies in Pierce County informed its staff that if they want more money, they need to apply somewhere else, according to KOMO News.

“I am disappointed that the sheriff is making false and misleading statements about my position and bringing this collective bargaining out of the appropriate forum established by State law–which is the bargaining table,” Mello wrote in a statement to The Tacoma News Tribune. “He could not be more wrong–as I have demonstrated in numerous ways and numerous times, I am relentlessly supportive of our men and women who serve in the Sheriff’s Department.”

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is on pace to respond to more than 200,000 calls in 2025.

Pierce County responds

Pierce County responded to the rejection of the contract proposal via a statement to KIRO Newsradio.

Pierce County greatly values the service, professionalism, and dedication of our sheriff’s office employees and remains committed to ensuring they are compensated competitively and treated with the respect their service deserves.

The proposal the guild members voted on included significant pay increases and robust benefits that are both competitive and sustainable. We believe it reflects the critical work of our law enforcement professionals while also meeting our responsibility to the residents of Pierce County.

The sheriff’s office receives most of our General Fund funds because we not only want to pay deputies and jail staff fairly but also the jail healthcare contract, the jail food contract, jail capital improvements and the humane society contract. All these costs of doing business impact available revenues.”

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