City reaches labor deal with Rochester Police Locust Club

ROCHESTER, N.Y. A new contract means new changes coming to law enforcement in Rochester.

After almost three years, the city has reached a new labor agreement with the Rochester Police Locust Club. This could mean more officers on our streets. The new five-year contract will keep pay high enough to compete with outside police agencies.

This new contract will also provide support for officer wellness, more flexibility to manage staffing shortages, and officer discipline. For the Rochester Police Department, this new five-year contract will allow more opportunities for city initiatives.

This new agreement replaces an expired contract from 2019. The five-year contract includes wage increases to keep officers’ pay competitive with surrounding agencies. it will also provide support for officer wellness, and more flexibility to manage staffing shortages and officer discipline.

Rochester Mayor Malik Evans says labor negotiations have been a top priority since he entered office.

“It is important to our colleagues in labor that the Administration commits the resources required to negotiate quickly, fairly, and in good faith, for the benefit of our employees and the citizens of Rochester,” Mayor Evans said.

Rochester Police Chief David Smith says this contract will be a key player in providing the city with the resources it needs.

“Bringing this contract to completion allows us to move forward as a department and focus our efforts on new initiatives to better serve our citizens,” Smith said.

The city says it’s now in negotiations with the Rochester Firefighters Union.

News10NBC reached out to Mike Mazzeo, the president of the Locust Club. And in a text message Friday he noted that the agreement came after long negotiations.

He said, “To eventually reach a conclusion is a very positive event not only for our members but for the city. This should be seen as a positive step forward for our city.”