Peoria Council Members Weigh in on Upcoming Police Contract
By: Maria Chandler WMBD/WYZZ TV
Updated: May 24, 2012
PEORIA- Earlier this week, in a WMBD 31 news investigation, we took a look at the Peoria Police Departments budget.
Peoria cops get 11 percent raises every year.
That means a cop with two years experience went from making almost $47,000 in 2009 to more $62,000 this year.
Tonight, we're asking city council members to weigh in.
The city council gives the ultimate approval of the city's budget.
Council members we spoke with say public safety is the number one concern.
As contracts come up for the police, some hope Peoria police officers won't have to give much.
Others worry economic times may force them to.
"We're all going into this, for me, with a positive outlook. That look, yes, we know we have problems, we know we have to cooperate," says District 2 Council Member Barbara Van Auken.
"I want to be very respectful of the manager and the benevolent as they enter negotiations, because we don't negotiate that in the media, but we wanna show that respect for both sides of it. But as a councilman, who's going to ultimately vote on the budget, I think if you've looked at what we've done in the last three years, last three cycles, you've seen a belt tightening in every department. And reorganization has been a buzzword that's been throughout the whole organization. And I don't think we're done with either of those things, unfortunately," says District 3 Council Member Tim Riggenbach.
We're told negotiations with the police union could start as early as July.
Peoria cops get 11 percent raises every year.
That means a cop with two years experience went from making almost $47,000 in 2009 to more $62,000 this year.
Tonight, we're asking city council members to weigh in.
The city council gives the ultimate approval of the city's budget.
Council members we spoke with say public safety is the number one concern.
As contracts come up for the police, some hope Peoria police officers won't have to give much.
Others worry economic times may force them to.
"We're all going into this, for me, with a positive outlook. That look, yes, we know we have problems, we know we have to cooperate," says District 2 Council Member Barbara Van Auken.
"I want to be very respectful of the manager and the benevolent as they enter negotiations, because we don't negotiate that in the media, but we wanna show that respect for both sides of it. But as a councilman, who's going to ultimately vote on the budget, I think if you've looked at what we've done in the last three years, last three cycles, you've seen a belt tightening in every department. And reorganization has been a buzzword that's been throughout the whole organization. And I don't think we're done with either of those things, unfortunately," says District 3 Council Member Tim Riggenbach.
We're told negotiations with the police union could start as early as July.
