Time is running out for police contracts

It may be the best deal Hamtramck police officers, and their brass, can get.

But the new contracts passed Monday night by the city council for the police department’s two unions are not perfect by any means.

The most prominent flaw is that the police bosses get a salary increase while patrol officers have to take a pay cut.

We agree with Councilmember Abdul Algazali that any new contract has to come with pay cuts.

While there are other cuts in the contract that will amount to over $1 million in savings, it doesn’t make any sense for ranking officers to get a pay increase at the expense of patrol officers.

But, by the time this paper hits the streets, there could have been a change to the contracts, or changes might be agreed on in the days to come.

No matter what, if the two department unions reject this offer, which was a long time in coming, that will trigger a request for the state to step in and review the city’s financial picture.

That could be the first step toward having a state-appointed emergency financial manager take control of the city.

If police officers think this contract is a bad one, just wait for a financial manager to step in.

Hamtramck is facing a financial collapse as well as payless paydays if the state doesn’t agree to an emergency $3 million loan.

While a little tweaking may be the only thing left in the police contracts, time is running short for an agreement.