FOP Negotiations Meeting #4

This was the fourth negotiation meeting between the City of Lewiston, Idaho, and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) held on March 31, 2026. The discussion focused extensively on compensation issues for police officers, including specialty pay increases such as SWAT pay, field training officer pay, and instructor incentives. The city representatives highlighted budget constraints, noting a $750,000 annual limit citywide for pay increases due to declining state shared revenues and property tax limitations. The parties discussed the complexity of calculating total compensation impacts, including overtime, comp time, and specialty pays, and the need for further data analysis to understand the fiscal effects. They also addressed contract language related to overtime calculations, compensatory time caps, and workweek definitions to align with federal labor standards. The city emphasized the importance of council involvement in the negotiation process and the need to balance fiscal responsibility with fair compensation to retain skilled officers. No formal votes or contract awards were recorded, but action items included further financial analysis and scheduling follow-up meetings to continue negotiations.