Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh on Arbitrator’s Award on Police Contract

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.”