MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee police officers could see significant pay raises and job protections under a tentative contract agreement announced Thursday, ending more than three years of negotiations that included months of frustration and nearly a week of arbitration.
The Milwaukee Police Association voted to approve the deal, which now heads to the Common Council for final approval next month.
Contract Details
If approved by the Common Council, the agreement would provide across-the-board wage increases, full retroactive pay for 2023 through 2025, and a more than 15% compounded pay increase through 2026. The contract also guarantees protection from furloughs of officers through at least 2028.
Community Opposition
Grassroots organizers expressed disappointment with the terms, arguing the money could be better spent elsewhere.
"We're thinking about money going towards that for these cops, and half the time they aren't even catching these perpetrators, so I find that not really adding up logic-wise," Kayla Patterson, Interim co-chair of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Other community members who have previously protested police raises, such as Angela Lang, Executive Director of BLOC, called the news "disappointing," saying the funds would be better spent on resources like mental health and housing services.
Watch: Milwaukee police contract would bring 15% raise after 3 years of negotiations
Union Leaders Celebrate Victory
Police union leaders called the tentative deal a "victory" after years of stalled negotiations. Alex Ayala, who leads the Milwaukee Police Association, called the deal long overdue.
"It's really important because I think this is the most critical time, where the police department is having an influx of people leaving the department to work for other departments because of the low wages. I mean, the morale in the department has been super low," he explained. "We actually have the most dangerous job in the entire city," Ayala said. "So, my officers are being shot and killed in the line of duty - they deserve a raise."
Mayor's Response
Mayor Cavalier Johnson expressed satisfaction that a deal was reached.
"I think it's a right balance between my responsibility to support the police, but also support taxpayers as well," Johnson said.
The mayor also responded to comments made by the Milwaukee Police Association Thursday, saying the new contract would protect officers from a "defund the police" mindset that still exists in city hall.
"I think it's kind of laughable to say that I'm not supportive of the police," Johnson said. "I challenge folks to go back the past couple of generations. Who has been more supportive of the police than I have been?"
The Milwaukee Police Association pushed back on the mayor's response.
"I laugh at his comment because defunding the police also means not paying their wages. The mayor could've had this offer 3 years ago, the mayor could've had this offer 2 years ago, the mayor could've had this offer a year ago," Ayala said.
The contract now awaits approval from the full Common Council next month.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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