A CONTRACT between the city and the police union was approved by the Garden Grove City Council Tuesday night (Shutterstock).

By Sydnee Valdez/Orange County Tribune

A three-year “Memorandum of Understanding” between the City of Garden Grove and the Garden Grove Police Association that includes a cumulative cost of $7.9 million was approved Tuesday night.

The vote was 6-0 in favor with Councilmember Patrick Phat Bui absent.

The MOU will be in effect from April 16, 2022 to June 30, 2025. There will be a 3.5 percent base salary increase effective after the approval of the MOU, 3.5 percent base salary increase effective July 2023, and a 3.5 percent base salary increase effective July 2024. There will also be a homeless liaison officer pay increase of 5 percent of base salary for four police officers and one sergeant in the Special Resources Team.

The MOU also includes an increase in life insurance coverage to 150 percent of one’s annual salary, as well as increases to medical benefit contributions in July 2022, January 2024, and January 2025.

There will be bilingual pay of 3 percent of base salary for verbal skills, and up to 300 hours of association release time will be provided each year. Lastly, tuition reimbursement will be increased to $3,000 per fiscal year.

While the council approved the agreement, the human resources director will finalize any language changes.