NEWPORT BEACH : New Police Contract Includes Pay Raises

Police Department employees Tuesday signed a three-year labor contract with the city that promises to catapult them from one of the worst-paid police forces in the county to one of the best.

The employees’ vote to accept the city’s offer breaks an 11-month stalemate between the two sides.

The city agreed to provide at least a 3% salary increase for all personnel next January and an additional 5% raise next April for officers who have been on the force a minimum of 4 1/2 years. A subsequent package of additional pay increases will be settled in the final years of the contract.

“The money was a big issue,” said Sgt. Steve Van Horn, negotiator for the Police Management Assn.

The new contract may also boost morale in an embattled department that, in addition to being locked in the fight over pay, is awaiting the hiring of a new chief. That appointment is expected this summer, at the same time that fired Police Chief Arb Campbell will be seeking a name-clearing hearing before the Civil Service Commission.

The labor contract was approved this week by a vote of 120 to 5 by the Newport Beach Police Employees Assn. and 21 to 0 by the separate management association. “I think it goes a long way toward boosting morale,” said Detective Tom Tolman, who represented the employees at the negotiating table.

The department’s police officers, civilian employees and managers have been upset that their pay has not kept pace with law enforcement agencies countywide as mandated by city policy. Recent surveys conducted by the League of California Cities found that the salaries of Newport Beach police ranked 19th among 21 Orange County cities.

But the city has argued that salary raises are nearly impossible during a time of tight budgets.

Under the new agreement, the city has until 1996 to grant salary increases that would put the police force among the five best-paid law enforcement agencies countywide. Exceptions could be made to compensate for unexpected city fiscal ills.

The City Council approved the contract Monday night when it unanimously adopted a list of routine items on the agenda.