Oro Valley Now Negotiating 2-Year Agreement With Police (Employees)

During the creation of the town of Oro Valley, the town privately contracted police services through Rural-Metro. There, fire-fighting, police services, alarm response, and paramedic operations were provided to 1,200 residents by the company Rural/Metro. The contract was agreed to and ran from 1975 through 1977, with a flat yearly fee of $35,000 to be paid to Rural/Metro.

The company (Rural/Metro) agreed to a number of conditions giving the town control over their operation. They agreed to establish a police headquarters in Oro Valley, to keep records according to state guidelines, and to supervise and assume all liability for their employees. The town authorities retained ultimate authority, able to override Rural/Metro if they felt it necessary.

In 1978, Rural/Metro agreed to transfer their policing duties to official town police, with the company reducing its role to the supply of vehicles and equipment.

Notably, when the town authorities took over full provision again, many costs increased. One change was to replace the civilian employees of Rural/Metro with uniformed officers on higher salaries.

For many years, the Fraternal Order Police (FOP) represented the Oro Valley officers in negotiations with the town.   Many Oro Valley officers belonged to both the FOP and the Oro Valley Police Officers Association (OVPOA).

In 2004, the town recognized the OVPOA as the excluding bargaining organization for the police force.  Every year since, the town and the OVPOA negotiated a memorandum of understanding (MOU). This memorandum defines the terms and conditions of the employment of the police.

This changed on May 2, 2012 when the Town Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Resolution 12-23 between Public Safety Employees (Police) and the Town of Oro Valley pursuant to Chapter 4, Section 4-1-8 of the Town Code for two years.

The Memo of Understanding affected two years of the Town Budget (FY2012/2013 and FY 2013/2014). At that time, the OVPOA negotiated an agreement that was, essentially, applied to all town employees. For example:

“As part of fulfilling the Town Council's goal of investing in Town employees, management recommends the reinstatement of the step plan along with a modest merit increase ranging from 2% to 3.5% for non-step plan employees in the second year of the MOU, FY 2013/14.  A similar merit increase would also be recommended for the rest of Town staff not represented by this Memorandum of Understanding during FY 13/14 as well”.   

The Town and the OVPOA are currently in negotiations for a new MOU. It is not known what time period it will cover or what demands will be made. It will certainly affect future budgets.

We will watch what the proposed final agreement will contain and how it will affect the taxpayers of Oro Valley.
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