Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s decision to lay off 11 sheriff’s deputies Wednesday could be a prelude to similar cuts for police officers and firefighters if they don’t accept pay and benefit cuts.
While the mayor has never publicly mentioned laying off police officers or firefighters, union officials fear job losses could occur if an agreement on other cuts isn’t reached soon.
Hickenlooper’s top aides couldn’t persuade the union representing sheriff’s deputies to accept a 2 percent cut to pay and benefits to help close a projected $56 million budget gap.
After the union rejected the request, the mayor announced the layoffs for deputies and required remaining deputies, sergeants and captains to take three furlough days this year. The moves will save the city $1.2 million this year, the same amount in contract concessions the mayor was seeking.
Kelly Brough, the mayor’s chief of staff, said she hopes this week or next week to finalize negotiations with the unions representing police officers and firefighters. If an agreement is reached, the unions then will ask the membership to ratify a new contract that would reduce pay and benefits by 2 percent.
Eric Tade, the governmental-affairs director for the union representing firefighters, said he hopes negotiations can be finalized by the end of this week. The administration is seeking pay and benefit cuts of $1.5 million from the firefighters.
Lt. Vince Gavito, the president of the union representing police officers, said he forwarded the union’s latest offer to the administration Wednesday.
The union representing sheriff’s deputies plans to mount a legal challenge of Wednesday’s layoffs, said Jeff Shaw, a deputy sheriff and vice president of the union for deputies.
The administration expects that the deputies who are losing their jobs will be competitive for “detention specialist” positions at the jails, which are not law enforcement positions. Those jobs pay about $10,000 less annually. The deputies also must apply for the positions.
Sheriff’s deputies in Denver staff the jail, handle security at the courthouse and transport prisoners, while police handle almost all other public-safety and criminal matters.
“The deputies that have been terminated, they feel betrayed by the mayor’s office,” Shaw said. “This is the first time in recent history that they’ve laid off employees in public safety. It’s ridiculous.”
He said the union didn’t think concessions were needed this year considering the city is spending $4.5 million on public art at the new Justice Center complex, has $130 million in general-fund reserves for emergencies and also a $17 million contingency fund.
The public-art expenditure is required by city ordinance and for the most part is paid with bond revenues.
Brough said Hickenlooper already authorized using $12 million of the general-fund reserves this year and wanted to refrain from relying excessively on reserves.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
