Riverside County supervisors approve $44M contract with law enforcement unit

Riverside County supervisors on Tuesday signed off on a tentative $44 million agreement with a union representing executive-level law enforcement personnel, granting some members pay hikes ranging between 10% and 20% over the next five years.

© Courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
Sheriff’s deputies investigate at Rabobank, where a robbery was reported Friday morning, June 14, 2019. No civilians or staff were injured, deputies said. The suspect was wearing an orange jumpsuit and wide brimmed straw hat.

The collective bargaining agreement with the 444-member Law Enforcement Management Unit was approved without comment and may yet be subject to modification before formal implementation.

The compact largely replicates agreements approved in the last four months with other unions, including the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association and the Riverside County Deputy District Attorneys’ Association.

The LEMU primarily represents individuals in supervisorial positions at the rank of lieutenant and above within the sheriff’s department and equivalent ranks in the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

The prior LEMU collective bargaining agreement expired in December.

However, negotiations over the new one began in advance of the sunset date, according to the Department of Human Resources.

The agency said the five-year contract, slated to take effect before the end of this month and expire on Feb. 1, 2026, will eliminate three salary classifications at the lower rungs of the scale, effectively moving about 8% of LEMU members to higher compensation levels.

Additionally, provided there are no issues with their job performance, many members — the exact number wasn’t noted — are due to receive automatic annual pay hikes, or what are termed salary “steps,” between this year and 2024. No increases were specified in 2025.

Two hikes are called for in the first year of the contract, with the initial one arriving immediately after it takes effect, ranging from 2% to 8%, depending on the earner’s job classification. The next one is due this summer and will range from 2% to 4%.

The pay raises in 2022, 2023 and 2024 will range from 2% to 4% each year, according to HR documents.

Monthly medical subsidies covered by the county will also be increased between $25 and $300 over the next two years, officials said.

Concessions on the part of the union included reducing standby pay for sheriff’s supervisors to one hour of full pay for every 16 hours in standby. The previous requirement was one hour for every eight in hold mode.

The union also agreed to dissolve the subsidized sheriff’s Wellness & Fitness Program.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Riverside County supervisors approve $44M contract with law enforcement unit