27 Percent Raise For Joliet Police Supervisors Association?

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Police Supervisors Association, the bargaining group for the city's sergeants and lieutenants, is seeking a base salary increase of 27 percent for lieutenants and 26.4 percent for sergeants, plus seven weeks of paid time off per employee, according to a copy of the Joliet Police Supervisors proposal obtained by Joliet Patch.

On Feb. 2, Joliet Police Supervisors Association President Matt Breen notified Joliet city officials that Breen wants the base salary as a Joliet police sergeant to climb from last year's average salary of $131,694 to $166,432 two years from now in 2025 —an increase of $34,738.

As for the lieutenants, Breen wants their pay to increase from last year's average salary of $143,938 to $182,850 two years from now in 2025 — a base salary increase of $38,912.

The calculated cost of Breen's salary increase proposal for himself and his fellow Joliet police sergeants and lieutenants is nearly $5.8 million.

Any salary increase for Joliet police sergeants and lieutenants would substantially increase their overtime rate of pay because a large percentage of the Joliet police sergeants and lieutenants make between $20,000 and $50,000 per year in overtime pay on top of their base salary.

In comparison, last July, Patch reported that Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans made a $164,618 salary, plus his fringe benefits included use of a city-issued vehicle, plus a fuel stipend.

Any salary increase would also increase the Joliet taxpayers' burden toward the Joliet police pensions for sergeants and lieutenants, as well as any respective retirement severance payouts for their unused vacation, comp time accruals and sick leave banks that are paid out at their final base salary at the time of their retirement from Joliet.

The most recent multi-year contract for the Joliet Police Supervisors Association expired Jan. 1.

According to the terms of the most recent three-year deal, the Joliet Police Supervisors received 2 percent annual raises for 2020, 2021 and 2022 plus a one-time 5 percent raise for 2020 in exchange for eliminating the four Joliet police captain positions.

As a result of the last multi-year collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the Joliet Police Supervisors and ousted interim Joliet City Manager Marty Shanahan, Joliet Patch reported in February 2020 that 10 Joliet police lieutenants got raises of $9,065. Three police supervisors got raises of $8,664 and 27 police supervisors received raises of $8,263. A dozen Joliet Police sergeants received pay increases of $7,881 each.

Joliet Patch has not obtained the city's payroll records for 2022 to review the highest paid Joliet employees last year. According to the 2021 data, 123 Joliet city employees topped $150,000 including a total of 67 members of the Joliet Police Department.

There are more than 50 Joliet police supervisors in Breen's group.

In December, the organization made a unanimous endorsement of Terry D'Arcy in the upcoming April 4 Joliet mayor's race. However, about half of the Joliet police lieutenants and sergeants do not live in Joliet and won't be able to vote in the election, including Breen.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

56 JPD Supervisors Got $8,466 Avg. Pay Hike On Jan. 1

123 Joliet City Employees Topped $150,000 In 2021

Terry D'Arcy For Mayor: Joliet Police Supervisors Unanimous In Support