Media Room

News Release

HRM, Regional Police Agree to 12-Year Contract

Friday, March 7/2003)-- The residents of Halifax Regional Municipality can look forward to stable, uninterrupted Halifax Regional Police and 9-1-1 emergency dispatch service for the next 12 years, thanks to an historic agreement reached between HRM and the Municipal Association of Police Personnel (MAPP), Mayor Peter Kelly announced today.

Mayor Kelly said that under the new collective agreement, to run from July 1, 2003 to March 31, 2015, the union's right to strike and management's right to lock-out have been eliminated. Also, MAPP agreed to reduced vacation time for some, more flexible hours of work, and changes to vacation schedule.

In addition, more front-line officers will be visible on the streets during peak periods, through the realignment of vacation times and greater flexibility of work schedules.

Terms of the agreement were approved by Halifax Regional Council earlier this week, and members of MAPP voted overwhelmingly in support of the agreement during the past two days.

Mike Balcom, President of MAPP, said "In our on-going effort to achieve safety, peace and order in our community and ensure officer safety, we have agreed to align members' vacations and work schedules to ensure there are more officers available when we are needed most. This represents a commitment from our officers to address our community's needs."

Contract Highlights:

• MAPP agreed to more flexible shift hours in the Criminal Investigation Division, which will result in reduced overtime.
• MAPP agreed to change hours of work for Power Shift , increasing the number of officers on the street in early hours of the morning.
• All new MAPP members will start out with two (2) weeks of vacation for first five years, instead of four (4) under the present contract.
• As a result of taking less vacation for some,current vacation amounts have a net impact of 1,500 more service hours on the street from Patrol.
• MAPP agreed that the number of officers off on vacation during the peak summer months will be reduced to nine from the current 12. Also, more personnel will be working in 9-1-1 dispatch centre during the peak times.
• Over the next 33 months, 95 officers are eligible for retirement. This will impact on the number of new officers hired, who will be available and visible on the street.
• A reduction in the amount of Shift Adjustment leave for police and 9-1-1 will increase service by about 1,800 more hours of service.

Halifax is Canada's 19^th largest municipality. Prior to the new contract, HRP ranked 66^th of 75 police agencies in Canada (with more than 50 officers) in terms of base salary. The salary increases in the new contract will align HRP's salaries with police agencies in municipalities of similar size and demographics. This will help ensure HRP is able to recruit and retain professional police officers.

• In the first year of the contract, members will receive an 8.6 per cent pay increase, (effective July 1, 2003).
• Members will receive a two-step increase in the second year of the contract; a two per cent increase will take effect on April 1, 2004, and an additional 1.3 per cent increase will be applied October 1, 2004.
• In the following years of the contract, the salary increases will be based on the average of the top police agencies in Canada with more than 50 officers, excluding provincially and federally funded forces.
• Initially, the average will be based on the top 60 police agencies in Canada. The number of agencies taken into account will decrease incrementally over the life of the collective agreement, ensuring HRP members earn the optimal average of the top 35 agencies in Canada during the last three years of the contract.

Mayor Kelly said "With the best interests of the community in mind, the Police Executive Management Team, the Union Executive and HRM were able to achieve this new Collective Agreement within fiscally responsible guidelines as set by HRM."

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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010

Mike Balcom
President, MAPP
(902) 490-5234