Police union members voted overwhelmingly in support of ratifying a new six-year contract that would increase salaries by 25 percent over the term of the deal, and that would bump police officers’ starting salaries by nearly $20,000.That vote took place on Friday, according to an email press release sent out by city spokesperson Lenny Speiller.He wrote that 96 percent of police union members who voted on Friday approved the proposed contract. The union represents the city’s 330 current police officers — a staffing number that is four higher as of Friday, after Mayor Justin Elicker swore in four new police recruits. The Independent was not able to determine by the publication time of this article what the final tally of Friday’s ratification vote was.Elicker now has 15 days, from Friday, to submit the proposed collective bargaining agreement to the Board of Alders. Local legislators then have 30 days to vote to approve or reject the deal.“It’s extremely gratifying that our police officers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed contract, and that they believe it’s a fair contract that respects them and their service to our city,” Elicker is quoted as saying in Friday’s release. ​“I want to thank Union President Florencio Cotto for working to arrive at this agreement, and I look forward to submitting it to the Board of Alders for their review and approval.”The ratification vote comes more than two years after the police union’s last contract expired, on June 30, 2022. Friction between the mayor and police union leadership burst into public view at the end of August, as new contract negotiations headed to state arbitration — and Elicker and Cotto pointed fingers at one another for why a deal hadn’t yet been reached. Then, on Oct. 1, Elicker and Cotto announced that the two sides had reached a tentative agreement, the terms of which were ratified by union members on Friday.According to an Oct. 1 press release, the proposed new contract would run from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2028. It would cost $5.6 million to cover retroactive pay, and an additional $7.5 million to cover proposed salary increases through 2028.To quote directly from that Oct. 1 press release, some of the deal’s terms include:• Annual pay increases to reward and help retain current officers: Officers will receive annual salary increases, starting with retroactive increases of 2.5% for fiscal year 2022 – 23 and fiscal year 2023 – 24, followed by a 5% increase in fiscal year 2024 – 25 and each subsequent fiscal year through 2028. Retroactive payments will be distributed for both base pay and overtime.• New starting salary to attract and recruit new officers: Beginning in fiscal year 2024 – 2025, new recruits will enter the police academy with a $70,000 starting salary – a nearly $20,000 increase from the current starting salary $50,745. In fiscal year 2025 – 26, the starting salary will be $73,500 and in fiscal year 2026 – 27 the starting salary will be $77,175. This will make new officers in the Elm City among the highest paid compared to other comparable large cities in Connecticut.• New work schedules to provide better work-life balance for officers: Patrol officers will transition to a 5 – 3, 5 – 3 schedule (5 days on, 3 days off) and administrative staff will transition to a 4 – 3, 5 – 2 schedule with a shorter, six-hour shift on the fifth day. Currently, patrol officers follow a 5 – 2, 5 – 3 schedule and administrative staff follow a 5 – 2, 5 – 2 schedule.• Introduction of Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) to help retain more senior officers: Eligible officers will have the ability to participate in the new DROP program, allowing senior officers to collect for retirement when they are eligible to retire while also continuing to work for the department. This option will be available only to officers who reach retirement eligibility and choose not to retire, but to keep working for the New Haven Police Department. Monthly pension benefits would be deposited into a DROP account, and officers can receive a lump sum or rollover payment at the end of the DROP period.• Healthcare plan updates that align with those of other municipal union contracts: New deductible structures and cost-sharing measures will be adopted, including adjustments to employees’ Health Savings Account (HSA) plans.• Online crime reporting to improve crime-fighting efficiencies: Civilians will be able to report minor, non-emergency crimes online, allowing officers to focus on more urgent cases in the field. Certified police officers will then review online reports and follow up accordingly.• New disciplinary procedures for officers charged with a felony to ensure appropriate accountability: In the rare instance when an officer is charged with a felony, they may be placed on unpaid leave. If the charges are nolled, dismissed, or the officer is found not guilty, full back pay will be awarded.