DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — The city of Delray Beach and its police union have reached an agreement on the terms of a new contract.
We've been following the dispute for nearly a year, including a six-month impasse.
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This contract agreement is a moment Delray Beach police officers have been waiting on for nearly a year, as they were caught in the middle of a dispute between the city and their union.
One of the biggest debates was the department’s retirement benefit known as the deferred retirement option program (DROP).
Here are the new details:
- Both sides agreed on the union's push to extend the department’s drop window from five years to eight years, which incentivizes senior officers to remain on the job while simultaneously contributing to their retirement benefits. That change won’t go into effect Oct. 1, 2026
- The city agreed to add $500,000 to $600,000 to the salary budget over a three-year period; lieutenants will also see a raise
- Both sides agreed on clarifying wording about when the city can request psychological testing of officers when they have concerns
- They also agreed to clarify drug and alcohol testing policy for officers if they're in an accident
"We just try to do the best work, whether we agree or disagree with different components, we've come to an agreement, we're all behind it and we’re going to move forward,” Delray Beach Mayor Tom Carney said.
"I'm not going to call it a win or a loss, I'm just going to say it’s a happy medium so far,” Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association President John Kazanjian said. "But guess what, if we ratify it, it's a three-year deal; we’ll see what the people do."
Negotiations thus far have been between the city and the union.
Now, police officers will get to review the terms before there is a final vote to approve the new contract.
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