The Common Council Finance and Personnel Committee voted 4-1 to give police supervisors a 1% incentive boost for residing in Milwaukee proper. The resolution now moves to the full council.

The deal reached by the Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization and officials, sets the salaries for police leadership between 2025 and 2027 and will in-part be paid retroactively.

The contract calls for a 2% increase year-to-year for 2025, a 3.25% increase for 2026, and a 3% increase in 2027.

MPSO didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Milwaukee Police Association, the union for the city’s rank-and-file officers, approved a four-year contract last year that gave a 14.25% raise and backpay.

Ald. Peter Burgelis voted in favor of the supervisors’ agreement at the committee hearing March 20 and he championed the first-ever residency incentive for sworn supervisors.

General city employees already have a residency incentive of 4%, but now police supervisors would also receive a 1% incentive boost for residing in Milwaukee.

According to Burgelis, only 30% – 81 of 269 – of Milwaukee police supervisors currently live in the city.

“This is the reset,” Burgelis said. “Since city residency was stripped by the Republican state legislature in 2013 and started in 2016, residency was treated as optional and irrelevant.  If you serve Milwaukee, you should live in Milwaukee.”

“Residency drives better outcomes,” Burgelis added. “When employees live here, they understand the streets, the schools, and the stakes. That translates into stronger leadership, smarter decision-making, and more trust with residents.”