Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh On Arbitrator's Award On Police Contract

Press release from the City of Syracuse:

July 1, 2021

Statement by Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on state arbitrator’s decision on Syracuse Police Benevolent Association contract:

“The contract approved by the state arbitrator achieves residency for new police officers which has long been sought by this community and is a top priority for my administration. The contract also enables the Syracuse Police Department to retain experienced officers to reduce attrition; attract more officers to seek leadership ranks; and encourage a better educated, more professional force that is more closely aligned with the community it serves. The administration acted on feedback provided by Common Councilors. As a result, the arbitrator’s award reduces the cost of the agreement by half compared to the original proposal. Any settlement of this contract would have been costly; this agreement delivers major benefits to residents and ensures the City gets more value from the money spent on policing.”

This press release was produced by the City of Syracuse. The views expressed here are the author’s own.