LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Metro Police have rejected the proposed contract put before them. The Louisville Fraternal Order of Police announced Monday the voting members for officers and sergeants "soundly" voted against the contract. 

In a statement to Spectrum News 1, the FOP said, "The officers and sergeants clearly feel that this proposal would not do enough to stop our constant loss of officers and would not adequately increase Metro’s ability to recruit the best talent available to the LMPD."

What You Need To Know

  • LMPD officers and sergeants and rejected their proposed contract

  • Captains and sergeants approved their contract which must now be approved

  • Mayor Greg Fischer called the vote a "setback for the city"

  • The FOP says it hopes to work on a new deal quickly. The mayor says he will also speak with officers and the community to come to a resolution

 

The contract included 9% raises to sworn LMPD personnel in the Fiscal Year 2022 and 3% raises in Fiscal Year 2023, marking what would be the highest single-year wage increase in the department's history. 

In August, Mayor Greg Fischer and Ryan Nichols, president of the River City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), announced they had reached a tentative agreement on the new contracts.

Monday, Fischer sent Spectrum News 1 a statement calling the vote a "setback for the city." He added, "This contract included significant policy reforms to make the Department more accountable, transparent, and community-oriented, as well as the largest single-year raise ever offered and one that would have provided a more than 20% salary increase over three years."

The mayor's office said the contract offered economic reform:

  • Under this contract, starting officers would have made $64,900 in two years.
  • The contract provides 9% raises to sworn LMPD personnel in FY 22 and 3% raises to sworn LMPD personnel in FY 23. This represents the highest single-year wage increase in LMPD history for LMPD sworn personnel. 
  • Lieutenants are also provided an 8.21% raise for FY 21. This is the same 8.21% raise officers and Sergeants received in December 2020. 
  • The proposal granted compensation for overtime, personal property loss, and maternity and paternity leave. 

The mayor also pointed out the policy reform highlights of the proposed deal: 

  • Improved accountability, training and records retention
  • Greater examination of citizen complaints 
  • Flexibility for the Chief in suspensions without pay 
  • Recognition of the Office of Inspector General and the Citizens Review and Accountability Board 
  • Randomized drug testing & mandatory critical incident drug and alcohol testing for certain incidents 

Louisville began negotiations with the FOP in Jan. on two employment contracts: one for police officers and sergeants, which expired June 30; and another for lieutenants, which expired over three years ago.

The contract for captains and lieutenants passed without issue. In its statement, the FOP said, "We will move the Captains and Lieutenants contract forward to the Metro Council for approval and we will go back to the negotiating table for the Officers and Sergeants. The FOP hopes to

begin that process as soon as possible."

Fischer said, "For now, we will take some time to hear police and community input. I remain committed to working with the FOP to produce an agreement within the resources we have that works for both our hardworking LMPD officers, as well as the community they serve."

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