ALLENTOWN – The Borough Council has approved a new collective bargaining agreement with Allentown Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 114 that will cover the union’s members from Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2021.
Council members voted 6-0 during a meeting on Aug. 20 to approve the new agreement.
Council President Thomas Fritts, Councilman John A. Elder III, Councilwoman Angela Anthony, Councilman Rob Schmitt, Councilman Michael Drennan and Councilman Robert Strovinsky voted “yes” on a motion to approve the contract.
The previous agreement between the borough and FOP Lodge No. 114 expired on Dec. 31, 2017 and the two parties had been negotiating a new agreement since that time.
Mayor Greg Westfall said the starting salary for a full-time police officer is about $37,000. The police department has five full-time officers and one part-time officer. Lt. Dan Panckeri is the police department’s senior officer and has been with the department for almost 23 years.
Commenting on the agreement, Schmitt said, “Our negotiations with the FOP were handled amicably and with a great amount of respect on both sides … Respect on our part for the amazing job our hard-working, always improving police officers do for this town day in and day out.
“They keep us safe and at the same time are always looking, under Lt. Panckeri’s leadership, to increase their professionalism and productivity while finding ways to save the borough money through locating equipment, training and click-it-or-ticket grants, for example.
“Moreover, I and the Public Safety Committee and Borough Attorney Greg Cannon, who took the lead on the actual negotiations this time around, all generally feel the police department rank and file, as well as their FOP negotiating team, understand and respect our budget limitations as a small town and worked with us to strategically help improve wages on the police step structure, open up opportunities for advancement within the force, all with an eye on long-term sustainability, and all within the constraints of the 2% cap,” he said.
“Separate from the contract negotiations, but partially as a result of their successful conclusion, is the hiring of a new officer which we are thrilled about as his presence on the force means better coverage of the town, with hopefully increased traffic calming, improved safety for our officers who often find themselves stretching their hours on the job with not enough down time in-between shifts, and more opportunities to enhance the force and the ways in which it serves Allentown.
“The borough is very optimistic about the future of the police department and the officers who serve and protect this historic village. They are second to none,” Schmitt said.
Panckeri acknowledged it took time to negotiate a new agreement, but said, “the mayor and council have a lot on their plate and the officers understand that. We have a good relationship with the mayor and council and we knew we would be able to come to an agreement. In past years, officer retention has been a problem, but the town has committed to the officers and they are happy.”
He said Allentown’s officers handle a multitude of issues every day and deal with whatever comes up in the borough. Traffic enforcement and pedestrian safety remain key tasks for the officers to deal with every day, Panckeri said.
During a recent council meeting, Daniel D’Ascoli was sworn in a Class II special law enforcement officer with the Allentown Police Department.