ANAHEIM : New Police Contract Approved by Council

An innovative police contract, described by Mayor Tom Daly as a “fine and fair settlement,” was approved 4 to 0 this week by the City Council.

Councilman Lou Lopez, an Anaheim police officer, abstained from the vote Tuesday.

One provision of the three-year agreement is designed to bolster community policing efforts by encouraging officers to move to Anaheim and thus gain a greater stake in the city’s future.

Starting this summer, officers will be eligible for no-interest, $10,000 loans to help purchase homes in the city. The loans will be forgiven at the rate of $1,000 per year for each year the officers remain employed by the city and continue to live in Anaheim.

“It’s part of an ongoing push for smarter strategies to reduce crime,” said Daly, who expects that 20 to 25 officers will take advantage of the housing incentive in the near future.

“We believe most neighborhoods would be very pleased to welcome police officers as new homeowners,” the mayor added.

The contract, which has been ratified by the 350-member police union, also provides for a 4% hike in base pay starting in October of next year. An additional 2% raise will be awarded in 1997 if the city’s sales tax revenue increases by 10% or more above current projections.

Increased costs to the city are estimated at $2.5 million over the three-year term of the contract.