MONROE, Conn. — Police Chief Keith White remembers a time when the town’s salaries for officers was not competitive with other towns in the area. As a result, Monroe would invest money to train new officers only to lose them to other departments. It was this way for many years until town officials focused on improving the salaries and benefits of Monroe offers.
“That has since flipped with officers coming here already trained and ready to work on day one, whereas the academy process can take up to a year before you start to get a return on your investment,” White said during an interview Monday.
“We are facing a time where a limited amount of people are interested in going into the occupation of law enforcement,” First Selectman Terry Rooney said.
The first selectman recently negotiated a new three year contract with the Monroe police union, which runs through June 30, 2028. It recently received unanimous approval from the Town Council.
Retroactive to July 1, 2025 all active officers will receive a salary increase of 2.75 percent, followed by a 2.75 percent increase on July 1, 2026, and 2.95 percent on July 1, 2027.
In another change, life insurance was increased from $20,000 to $100,000 with the town paying the premiums. Though the benefit is greater, Rooney said there was no additional cost to the town. The complete contract can be found in the Town Council’s March 23 meeting packet.
“You must stay competitive with the other departments in the area and this contract does that,” White said.
Rooney said the police union made concessions on the amount of time off officers initially sought.
“It was a great negotiation with the police union. It was the second one we did together,” he said. “They were very understanding of the economic struggles that all municipalities are facing. They were very reasonable. It is important for us to have a strong police force, especially with Connecticut’s weak juvenile law structure.”
Sgt. Mike Johnson, the union president, expressed gratitude for the support police receive from people in town.
“We thank town officials, including First Selectman Rooney, for recognizing the importance of a strong contract to retain veteran officers and support future recruitment,” Johnson said. “Many of our officers live in Monroe and are deeply invested in the safety of this community.”
“A strong contract helps ensure a fully staffed department, which plays a critical role in ensuring officer safety, and is essential to effectively serve and protect the public,” he said. “The Monroe Police Union remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and dedication to ensure a safe and orderly town.”
“Monroe has maintained full staffing during my tenure,” Rooney said, “and we have to think ahead when it comes to the future preservation of the quality of our public safety in Monroe.”
Rooney and White are both expecting more retirements due to changes in Connecticut’s pension plan for law enforcement officers. “So last year we requested the reinstatement of two officers given back several years ago,” White said.
The chief said the town had given up three officers a few years ago when the Armed Security Officers program started in Connecticut schools. The two officers the department is getting back are among three that were in last year’s budget.
Monroe previously had a maximum of 45 officers and is now up to 44.
“This allows us to increase our minimum manpower, which has remained stagnant since the 1980s,” White said. “Minimal manpower is the amount of patrol officers per shift.”
“Many people believe crime is our only function,” White said. “In Monroe the police are your R1 medical responder.”
While the town’s Emergency Medical Service and fire companies are all volunteer, White said Monroe’s police officers are medically trained to respond to emergencies at any time of the day. A town’s R1 medical responder is a licensed organization that provides immediate medical service.
“Over the past few years we’ve become the town’s social workers through required practices and de-escalation methods,” White said.
“Our law enforcement officers are out there 365 days a year, 24/7,” Rooney said. “Police serve everyone in our community and the Monroe Police Department has done a fantastic job.”
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