The Denver City Council on Monday unanimously approved amendments to a collective bargaining agreement with the Denver Sheriff’s Fraternal Order of Police that include more holidays, paid time off and retroactive raises. 

A collective bargaining agreement is a written legal contract between an employer and a union representing the employees. 

The new contract adds Juneteenth as a recognized holiday for Denver Sheriff’s Department employees, grants up to four weeks of paid paternal leave for new parents and includes laddered salary increases. A retroactive raise, effective Jan. 1, 2024, sees a 3% salary increase and is followed by a 4% increase starting July 1. Further salary increases of 2% and 3% will take effect later in the year. 

“This contract represents one of the highest increases I have seen in my 30 years with the DSD. It will help us not only with recruiting the best but retaining the great members we have, as well,” Denver Sheriff Elias Diggins said in a news release. “We are thankful for the collaboration between Mayor Johnston, the Denver City Council, the FOP and others as we look forward toward a brighter future in the Denver Sheriff Department.”

Sheriff’s deputies are privileged to serve the citizens of Denver, Diggins said.

The Denver Sheriff’s Department saw a 4.3% increase in 2024 compared to last year, according to city budget documents. This equals a $7.3 million increase versus 2023.  

“The department will absorb these increases as part of our personnel costs in 2024,” Daria Serna, the department’s marketing and communications director, said. “If needed later in the year, the city would use funding from its contingency fund — which is intended to address items like this.”

The personnel services line of DSDs budget increased by $1.1 million, which is less than a 1 percent increase compared to last year. 

Other highlights include setting a minimum overtime rate at 1.5 times a deputies pay, increasing overtime pay for weapons training and increasing the one-time weapons allowance to $1,000, according to a press release.

Public safety is one of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s primary focuses. His goals include hiring 187 new police officers in the Denver Police Department and shoring up staffing levels at the Denver Sheriff’s Department. In October of last year, the Denver Sheriff’s Department was operating at 68.1% of its full authorized strength of 859 employees. 

Today the Denver Sheriff’s Department has 604 sworn staff, according to a department spokesperson. This translates to 70.3% of its authorized strength.

Johnston has outlined several ambitious goals regarding public safety. These include reducing violent gun crime by 20% and improving customer satisfaction by 15% — all before the end of 2024. 

“Today’s contract with the Denver Sheriff Department is a huge step forward for public safety,” Johnston said in a press release. “This will help us attract and retain great sheriffs to address the major staffing shortages at our jails. I’m proud to work collaboratively with our Sheriff Department and City Council to ensure every worker in our city earns a fair wage and benefits, and can afford to live in the city they serve.”