Commission OK’s police contract for ‘26-’27

The Colby-Abby Police Commission on Monday approved a new two-year contract with the local police officers union that includes 2% pay increases every six months for the next two years.

If approved by the Abbotsford and Colby city councils, the contract would take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and run through Dec. 31, 2027. In addition to the 2% raises for all officers, the contract also includes an additional $1 per hour for the department’s K-9 officer, the detective and the school resource officers.

The following changes were also made:

■ Officers will be allowed to use comp time within a year of accruing it.

■ At the end of the year, an employee may choose to have their unused vacation paid out on the last paycheck of the year at the regular pay rate or they can carry over the unused vacation. The maximum unused vacation paid out or carried over shall not exceed 12 hours.

■ Employees shall receive either eight or 12 hours of pay, at the employee’s regular rate of pay, depending upon their current work assignment, for a total of eight paid holidays.

■ The annual payout for not taking health insurance through the department was kept at $350.

■ A modified vacation schedule was approved as follows: 24 hours upon hiring, 72 hours after the first year, 96 hours after two years; 132 hours after seven years, 216 hours after 15 years and 264 hours after 25 years.

“We are proud of the members of the Colby/Abbotsford Police Department and the exemplary job they do protecting our communities with 24/7 coverage,” said Todd Schmidt, president of the commission. “The contract negotiations were handled in a very professional manner, with some concessions made by both parties, resulting in a fair and equitable two-year contract.”

The police department’s proposed 2026 budget has not been finalized yet, but an increase of approximately a 3.5% over this year is expected at this point. The funding percentages will remain the same as they are now, with Abbotsford paying 57.5% and Colby at 42.5%, based on property values, percentage of calls and population of the municipalities.