Mayor Announces Contract Agreement with Police Union

Alexandria, La. (June 27, 2021) — Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall, joined by representatives of Alexandria Police Officers Association Local 833, announced an agreement has been reached between the City and the union negotiators on a new contract Sunday afternoon at the city’s Public Safety Complex. The contract now goes to the union membership to review and approve, with voting scheduled to start Monday evening.

“When I first took office I proposed a pay increase for police officers,” Hall said. “This new agreement includes pay increases that will not only make APD competitive with other law enforcement agencies, but when combined with the other benefits and provisions will make the Alexandria Police Department one of the most desirable law enforcement agencies in the state. This agreement allows us to have a pay and benefits package that matches the high standard of performance of our APD officers.”

Alexandria Police Officers Association Local 833 President Sgt. Bobby Branton added, “I am very pleased with the overall outcome of the negotiations. I want to personally thank Mayor Hall, as well as his staff, for their hard work and diligence during the negotiations. I also want to thank the City Council for their support of the Alexandria Police Department and want to thank them in advance for their consideration of approval of this contract. We have some great men and women at the Alexandria Police Department and we look forward to continuing to provide the best service and protection possible to the citizens of Alexandria.”

Hall noted his desire to get the pay increases implemented as quickly as possible prompted the decision to hold a Sunday press conference. “I know it’s the weekend, but we don’t want to delay the process of getting our officers the pay increases and other benefits included in this new contract, not even by one day,” Hall said. “In order to fast-track this effort to get the officers their increased pay and benefits, we will introduce the appropriate ordinances at Tuesday’s meeting of the Alexandria City Council. Assuming the union members vote to accept the new contract, we can bring the matter for final approval at the July 13 City Council meeting.”

Hall explained he has been working with representatives from the police union for several months. “I want the residents of Alexandria to know there was never any animosity or negativity between the administration and the union leadership,” Hall said. “The meetings we had with Bobby Branton, Josh Peppers and other union representatives have been professional and cordial. From the beginning and throughout the process, they have been committed to working together to achieve the best possible outcome. It is exactly the kind of professional, disciplined approach you would expect to see from veteran law enforcement officials and I commend them and appreciate them.”

During his remarks, Hall acknowledged public concern over police pay and his limited ability to comment during the negotiation process. “During this process, my administration has frequently been attacked, accused of not caring about our officers. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Hall said. “I have been supportive of the men and women of APD from day one. By the nature of the way union contract negotiations work, I have been limited in what I could say publically. So, while there were some who were being critical of our public efforts, we were diligently working behind the scenes, working with the union’s leadership, to identify the needs, find sustainable, effective solutions and craft an agreement that will meet the needs of our officers today and in the long-term.”

“This agreement shows what can be done when folks put aside their personal differences, work together and are open to compromise in order to achieve the best possible outcome,” Hall continued. “To the citizens of Alexandria, this is the performance you can expect from this administration. We are going to be fair and honor our commitments. We are going to stand up for what is right, and we are going to reward the hard working employees of the City of Alexandria so that they continue to provide the service you deserve as residents of our City. Most importantly, we are committed to working together to move our City forward.”