Oakland Police Officers Ratify Contract With Cuts

OAKLAND (KCBS) – The Oakland Police Officer's Association voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to ratify a contract that includes a pension cut and two-tiered pay scale.

The reworked contract will require officers to contribute nine percent towards their pensions, defer a raise until 2014 and pay new officers 10-15 percent less.

KCBS' Doug Sovern Reports:

Union President Dom Arotzarena said his members traded money for guaranteed peace of mind.

"The bottom line is that it's the job security we've always wanted," he said. "We wanted no layoffs, we want our membership to know that they're coming to work tomorrow and they have a job."

Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts said the rank-and-file cops stepped up and did the right thing.

"I'm extremely happy and I think they'll be happy and I'm very proud of the officers," said Batts.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said that if the officers had voted against the proposal, the city council would have had to go back and cut more services to close a $58 million deficit.

"The police are 50 percent of the city's budget. That is a huge number," she said.

Twenty-two officers that were laid off last year will also be rehired. Chief Batts said they could be back on the force by the end of July.

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