An independent arbitrator has decided on new contract terms for Denver Police Department officers through 2022, including two pay raises in 2022. 

According to a news release, the terms include a 2% pay raise on Jan. 1, 2022 and a 1.5% raise on July 1. The terms also include a pay freeze and no holiday pay premiums in 2021, along with reduced city contributions to the retiree health trust, according to the news release from the Denver Police Protective Association.

In the release, the DPPA expressed thanks to the mayor’s office, the office of the city attorney and City Council members who supported the contract outcome.

The public information officer for the Denver City Attorney’s Office said in an email that information released as of Tuesday by the police union about the new contract terms is accurate.

According to the news release, other current contract terms continue unaffected. Holiday pay premiums and the city’s full contributions to the retiree health trust will resume in 2022.

“Mayor Hancock thanks the PPA for their continued willingness to partner on navigating the fiscal challenges that the city is currently facing,” reads a statement sent by a mayoral spokesperson. “The agreement originally negotiated with the PPA, which arbitration confirmed, saves the city nearly $5 million and also keeps faith with the Mayor’s goal of providing our police officers with a modest pay raise in 2022.”

The City and County of Denver and the DPPA announced in late October they had reached an impasse on collective bargaining agreement negotiations. Representatives of Denver and the DPPA began negotiations June 30 and declared a deadlock Oct. 16, the parties previously announced. 

Denver, police union declare a deadlock in contract negotiations

During the arbitration process, Denver and the DPPA were required to continue good-faith negotiation efforts, and officers could not strike or slow down work. 

The new pay terms known so far are similar to terms voted down by the Denver City Council in September, which the DPPA and Mayor Michael Hancock’s administration had agreed on.

That agreement would have given police officers a 2.77% pay increase in 2022. According to Colorado Politics, City Council rejected the term given that other city employees have been required to take furlough days this year and had not been promised future pay raises.

The agreement rejected by City Council also would have suspended salary increases in 2021, freeze pay for 10 holidays and reduce Denver’s contribution to the Denver police Retiree Health Fund by $360,000. 

Denver Mayor Hancock deems City Council's rejection of police contract ‘short-sighted and irresponsible’

According to the Denver City Charter, Denver and the DPPA are required to negotiate terms such as officers’ compensation, fringe benefits including holidays and leave, and hours in a workweek.

They can also negotiate terms if both parties agree to such as pensions, off-duty employment and testing for drugs and alcohol. 

The charter requires an arbitrator is chosen from a permanent panel whose members are selected by City Council and serve six-year terms.

After holding a hearing within 25 days after the arbitrator’s selection, and considering briefs the parties submit if they choose, the arbitrator makes a written decision about terms for the collective bargaining agreement.

The court system has limited ability to review binding arbitration decisions. Some limited circumstances allowing appeal in district court, according to the city charter, include if the arbitrator’s decision have been influenced by fraud or corruption, if it is arbitrary and capricious or if their award is not a final offer made by Denver or the DPPA.

A court would not make its own decision about the terms to go into the collective bargaining agreement, but would vacate the arbitrator’s decision and require the issues go to a different arbitrator.