Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Tumwater City Council authorized Mayor Leatta Dahlhoff to sign a new, three-year contract with the Tumwater Police Guild.
Administrative Services Director Michelle Sutherland said the agreement aims to make the city a more competitive employer in a crowded regional job market.
She noted that the contract will help to attract recruits, retain current officers, and maintain the Tumwater Police Department’s quality of service.
Sutherland presented the contract to the Tumwater City Council at a meeting on Sept. 1.
Key provisions of the new contract include cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), premium assignment pay and incentives.
The contract features a 4.5 percent COLA in 2027, which is based on the Consumer Price Index for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region in June 2026.
While an exact rate has not been set for 2028 and 2029, the city and guild agreed to COLA adjustments between a minimum of 2.5 percent and a maximum of 5 percent for the two years.
Additionally, the city will match employee contributions to a deferred compensation program. For 2027, the city will match up to 2.5 percent of an employee’s base pay, which will rise to 3 percent in 2028 and 4 percent in 2029.
Tumwater Police Department Chief Carlos Quiles added the contract provides a 3.3 percent pay premium to instructors for firearms, patrol tactics and defensive tactics.
The incentive accounts for extra hours and lost days off required of the officers, as the department does not have a dedicated training division.
Sergeants also get a 5 percent premium pay for administrative, training and detective assignments.
To encourage professional development, the new contract rewards employees who pursue law enforcement-related degrees while on the job.
In 2027, employees will receive a base pay bump of 2.5 percent for earning an associate degree, 5 percent for a bachelor’s degree, and 7 percent for a master’s degree. The incentives for bachelor’s and master’s degrees will increase in 2028 and 2029.
The contract features a physical fitness incentive as well. Personnel who pass a fitness test will receive a lump sum payment equal to 3 percent of their annual base salary after taxes and deductions.
The benefit will be available to all non-probationary officers from day one. Quiles added alternative tests are available to older employees or personnel with injuries.
The contract also includes a revised leave schedule, a dedicated critical incident paid leave, a community service leave and an additional floating holiday. Additionally, uniform allowance increased to $1,450 from $1,250 to account for rising costs.
Sutherland said the three-year package cost is $16,628,749, which reflects an approximate $1.4 million increase over the previous contract. She added the changes are supported by the county’s public safety tax and the city’s general fund.
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OlyBlues
It is interesting to hear Sutherland say that the $1.4 million increase is supported in part by the city's general fund when two days after the photo op of the Mayor and Police Guild it is announced with this new contract, the city has an over $8 MILLION deficit in spending as expenses are to this date. There is no doubt the city of Tumwater is spending beyond their means and tax increases are coming. to bail them out. There is unfortunately no appreciation for saving or reducing costs to Tumwater residents by the council or Mayor. A look at the Guild's contract is very lucrative with incentive pay for almost any and every extra activity possible. But the police guild strongly supported the Mayor's election campaign, so this was expected, quid-pro-quo.
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