Labor agreements with police officers and sergeants in 2025 were approved by the Prior Lake City Council at the Dec. 10 meeting.
Key changes to the current police officer contract include:
Unscheduled officers who are called to work on New Years Day, July 4, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas day with less than 14 days notice will received two times their base pay rate for hours worked on these holidays. The current pay rate is 1.5 times of base rate of pay. Officers will also receive Field Officer Training compensation totaling one hour of overtime pay for each five hour block of time spent training new employees.
A six percent cost of living adjustment will become effective Jan. 1. The city will also conduct a compensation study in early 2025 to ensure wages are competitive with comparable cities. If additional pay adjustments are warranted, increases will be retroactive to the start of the new year.
Newly-hired officers with one year of equivalent experience worked elsewhere will start with an 80-hour vacation leave bank. Officers hired with more experience will be able to accrue vacation hours at levels commensurate with their years of experience. Both incentives are intended to encourage a greater number of police officer applicants when openings arise, according to the agreement.
At the city’s request, police representatives agreed to a one-year contract, rather than the usual three-year agreement, due to anticipated changes mandated by the state for paid family medical leave beginning in 2026.
The city council also ratified a contract agreement with police sergeants for the 2025 calendar year with these changes:
Those working the night shift will be paid $1 more while working between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. The night sergeant is the only supervisor on duty during that time. Pay while working on New Year’s Day, July 4, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas day is set at two times the base rate if called to work with 14 days or less notice.
Sergeants will receive a nine percent cost of living adjustment as of Jan. 1. Data studies showed Prior Lake previously fell below market pay rates in this area. The increase will bring compensation in line with similar communities.
As with the police officers’ contract, that negotiated for sergeants is for a one-year period due to new requirements related to paid medical leave in the following year.
