The London Police Service Board (LPSB) and the union representing its officers have reached a new four-year contract agreement, starting with a five per cent increase in 2023 for both sworn and civilian members.
The deal, ratified on Monday evening, will extend to the end of 2026 and will include improved benefits that support member wellness and mental health as well as “greater objectivity and accountability in the performance of duties.”
“Our messages related to sworn and civilian member wellness and burnout was heard,” said Paulo Domingues, president of the London Police Association (LPA).
The contract agreement comes on the heels of the newly proposed multi-year budget for London police with a total price tag of $639 million.
Last month, police Chief Thai Truong shared recent crime statistics, saying that “London is the third most dangerous city in the province,” with one of the least staffed police forces.
With the intent of improving safety in the city, the proposal requests the hiring of 189 more positions: 97 sworn officers and 92 civilian positions.
Truong also said that London holds one of the lowest investigative clearance rates in the province, with officer workload one of the highest and police response times amongst the worst.
The recent contract agreement between the LPSB and LPA will see the introduction of front-line officers and specialty unit incentives to promote front-line and investigative supports.
“It’s a way to financially reward or financially represent the work that’s being done,” Domingues told Global News. “The incentive is going to help attract more people into these units and, hopefully, it’s reflective in getting good quality people in throughout the organization.
“Recruitment is at an all-time low across the province,” he continued. “It’s not just here in London, but I think this helps work us toward being competitive, desirable field of work.”
Truong added that “our city, like countless other municipalities across the province, continues to observe and experience the challenges and real struggles associated with keeping police services properly staffed and resourced.
“While we appreciate and respect the difficult and dangerous work members of the London Police Service experience every single day, words of support alone will not suffice,” he said in a statement. “This is the agreement needed today, for both our police service and our community.”
As detailed in the agreement, salary raises over each year will be the following:
- 2023 – five per cent
- 2024 – 3.5 per cent
- 2025 – 2.5 per cent
- 2026 – 2 per cent
Domingues also told Global News that the previous contract expired on Dec. 31, 2022.
“We got to the bargaining table for the first time in September,” he said, highlighting scheduling challenges in getting to the table sooner. “But we ratified on the police side at over 84 per cent, and on the civilian side, at over 92 per cent…. I think those numbers are the highest we’ve ever had in the ratification.”
At the core of the agreement, he added that both LPSB and LPA “wanted our front-line officers to be recognized.”
Both the board and the union stated that “the provisions contained in these agreements will significantly enhance member retention and recruitment.”
Truong added that “this agreement reflects a recognition of the current realities and climate facing our service today and achieves an outcome that will deliver both a substantive and symbolic message that this Board will take the requisite steps necessary to ensure the safety, security and well-being of both our city and service.”
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