West Orange Police, Town Officials Continue Contract Talks

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Contract talks between West Orange and its police unions continue, with police rejecting a recent proposal from town officials, a report says.

Members of the West Orange Police Department have been without contracts for nearly a year. Talks continue between the township and the West Orange Policemen’s Benevolent Association (PBA) and the Superior Officers Association (SOA), TAP Into West Orange reported. (Read the full article here)

Some sticking points reportedly include:

• Salary increases
• Retiree health and prescription costs

According to TAP Into, West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi stated that WOPD salaries add up to 15 percent of the total operating budget for the municipality. The overall average salary for WOPD officers and superiors is $102,189. In addition, health, prescription and pension costs currently represent 24 percent of the municipal operating budget in West Orange.

The town’s most recent proposal includes an offer to pay 100 percent of retiree health and prescription costs for all currently employed members when they retire, in exchange for the elimination of this coverage for all future members, TAP Into reported.

In October, the West Orange PBA issued the following statement about their contract situation with the township:

“The men and women of the West Orange Policemen’s Benevolent Association, Local #25 have been put in a difficult position. We have been begging the Township of West Orange to come to the table to find solutions to complex problems. The Township has refused to sit at the table and bargain in good faith.

“The West Orange Police Department is authorized to have 121 Sworn Officers under Town Ordinance. Currently the Township employs 96 Sworn Officers. The Township has asked us to do more with less and we have been getting the job done. Now, all we are asking is for the Township to come back to the table so we can have meaningful discussions with the Township in order to ensure that the Township of West Orange is able to continue to attract and retain the most qualified Police Officers. Frankly, our residents and business owners deserve nothing less!

“The West Orange Police Department has had a history of being able to attract police officers from other agencies. This is a great benefit for the Township as they are able to save on recruitment and training costs that one cannot see as a line item in a budget. The Township needs to continue this tradition rather then become an agency that train police officers who leave to go to better paying agencies. That is, we must avoid turning our Police Department into a "stepping stone" rather than a destination for highly trained, efficient and competent law enforcement professionals.”

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File Photo: Township of West Orange