Barnegat Police Department Superior Officers' Contract Finalized

The township and police department have reached an agreement on a new contract for the department's superior officers that grants them an annual 1.95 percent raise through 2013.

The three-year contract, which affects 15 members of the department, has a start date of Jan. 1, 2011, but the raises aren't fully retroactive, and are only applied starting Dec. 12, 2011, officials said. That means the department's detectives, sergeants, lieutenants and one captain gave up the raise for 49 of the 52 weeks in 2011. 

Township administrator David Breeden said the new contract eliminates a 10 percent detective stipend, though existing detectives will get to keep their stipend. A 10 percent K-9 stipend was also scrapped, with no grandfather clause.

Police are also offered a longevity bonus, a provision that has been a part of public sector contracts in New Jersey for decades, Breeden said. For Barnegat police, it tops out at 10 percent after 20 years of service.

Over the course of the 3-year contract, the salary increase will cost the township roughly $78,000, said Breeden. At the same time, he said, Barnegat will collect more than $106,000 in health care contributions from the group, effectively offsetting the increase.

"This contract strikes a delicate balance between the present-day economic realities and the dedication and hard work of this group of police officers," Breeden said. "It is a responsible contract that reflects our obligation and commitment to the taxpayers in stabilizing cost while maintaining essential services to the community."

The township and police are still in the process of negotiating a new contract for the department's Chief of Police and the rest of the township's officers.