Mayor Parker announces new contract for Philadelphia police officers

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Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker on Friday unveiled a two-year contract for the city’s police officers that includes across-the-board pay raises, a one-time cash bonus and a slate of new benefits aimed at improving officer wellness and retention.

The agreement, reached through arbitration with Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, grants officers 3% annual raises in each of the next two years and a $3,000 one-time payment. The total cost over five years is projected at $343 million, according to the mayor’s office.

“This award is much more than just about dollars and cents,” Parker said at a news conference at City Hall. “It reflects our gratitude for the sacrifice [officers] make for our city, along with our obligation to govern with fiscal responsibility.”

She noted the “ultimate sacrifice” made by officers who were killed in the line of duty, including Jaime Roman, who was shot during a traffic stop in June of last year and later died from his injuries.

The deal introduces new benefits, including one annual “wellness day” for officers and a pilot program allowing up to five days of accrued sick leave to care for immediate family members. The city will also make a $5 million payment into the police retiree trust fund.

In a move Parker described as central to her long-standing neighborhood safety plan, the contract also allows for nonuniformed personnel to perform certain administrative and technical functions, such as court notices, dispatcher supervision and juvenile intake. The mayor said the shift would free up more sworn officers to patrol neighborhoods.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel praised the agreement as a tool for both retention and recruitment.

“The way we attract the men and women across this nation and across this region is to make sure that they feel valued and they feel supported,” he said. “My goal is to be the finest police department in America. This starts that process of making us on par with our colleagues in surrounding counties.”

Bethel also emphasized the contract’s mental health provisions, noting the toll of repeated exposure to traumatic incidents on officers, such as the impact on those who responded to the deadly plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia in February.

“The team here worked mightily to get those men and women some time to repair and help them and support them,” he said. “People may not see a wellness day as much, but it is part of the work now.”

The new civilian staffing flexibility, he added, will improve efficiency and prepare the department for major events in 2026.

Public Safety Director Adam Geer called the contract a “fair award” that strengthens collaboration between the police department and community-based violence prevention programs. While he expressed disappointment that the arbitration panel did not expand investigatory powers for the Civilian Police Oversight Commission, he pledged continued support for the agency’s work.

“I’m thankful that we live in a city that is under this leadership and has this kind of partnership and cooperation,” he said.

Parker closed the event by reiterating her dual message of support and accountability for officers.

“We will have zero tolerance for any misuse or abuse of authority by our law enforcement officers,” she said. “But I will be unapologetic about my support for them, especially when you look at the sacrifice they make for the people in our city on a daily basis.”