Minneapolis, police union reach tentative deal on new contract

After more than eight months of negotiations, Minneapolis city and police union leaders have reached a tentative deal on a new contract.

The sides announced the development Tuesday, although they aren’t yet releasing any details since it still has to be formally approved.

A deal has proven elusive for months and required several mediation sessions. Several public hearings were also held.

In November, the sides agreed to a deal on just a portion of the contract, where the city would’ve added new recruitment and retention bonuses for shift bidding reforms. However, the Minneapolis City Council rejected that deal.

It’s unclear if the current deal has the necessary council support, which will be required if approved by the union.

Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis President Sgt. Sherral Schmidt told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the union “believes this agreement will fulfill our goal of providing competitive compensation for our current and future Minneapolis police officers.”

“This is good news for the Minneapolis community safety system and the residents and visitors who rely on it,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey added. “This agreement will advance critical reform work and make significant progress on competitive pay for Minneapolis officers and recruits.”

Members of the police union will have time over the next week to learn about the tentative deal and vote, and details will be released after that time, Schmidt said.