LAGUNA BEACH, CA – The City of Laguna Beach negotiating team is pleased to announce it has reached a tentative three-year labor agreement with the Laguna Beach Police Employees’ Association (LBPEA). Earlier today, LBPEA membership overwhelmingly voted in favor of the tentative agreement, which provides a great compensation package to adequately address issues of recruitment and retention of police officers, incentivize professional growth and development in law enforcement.
“At its core, this agreement is about supporting public safety, and we are pleased to offer the Police Officers and other employees in our Police Department a generous compensation package that reflects their level of dedication and commitment to this community,” said Laguna Beach Mayor Bob Whalen. “I’d like to thank our City negotiating team, City Manager Shohreh Dupuis and the Police Employees Association for diligently working together toward an agreement that is strongly supported by our Police employees and offers them the elevated compensation and quality of life enhancements they deserve for the great work that they do to protect us every day.”
The terms of the agreement are the highest ever offered to the LBPEA in recognition of their outstanding work – and provide a generous total compensation package that is expected to put Laguna Beach at #2 in Orange County for Police Office compensation and have an immediate impact in attracting and retaining Department personnel. The labor agreement provides approximately 19% increase in Police Officer salary and benefits, with 10% effective January 1, 2023, and 13% increase in Professional staff’s salary and benefits over the contract's three-year term.
Highlighted provisions of the agreement include:
- A 15% increase in salary for Police Officers over three years plus 1.5% increase in salary for Peace Officers Standards & Training (POST) certification
- A 12% salary increase for Professional Staff over three years
- An increase in the City’s contribution to Retirement Health Savings
- An increase in pay for specialty assignments, including School Resource Officer, Detective Officers and Sergeants, Department Training Officer, Corporal and Sergeant supervising the Neighborhood Enhancement Team
The LBPEA agreement is expected to increase the budget by approximately $400,000 in FY 2022-23, $1.1 million in FY 2023-2024, and $1.7 million in FY 2024-25.
The tentative agreement will go before the Laguna Beach City Council for consideration at its January 10, 2023 meeting. If ratified, the agreement will be effective from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025.
The LBPEA is a professional labor organization representing approximately 91 City of Laguna Beach Police Department employees.
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