BOISE, Idaho — The Boise Police Union released a statement on Thursday clarifying that they have not reached a new deal in new labor agreement negotiations with the city, despite reports suggesting otherwise.
Watch: Boise Police Officer Darren Lee shares how police union never agreed on new Collective Labor Agreement with city negotiators
"Repeated bad faith tactics" by the city's negotiation team have strained the year-long negotiation process, according to the union's press release.
The union claims city officials are attempting to eliminate labor protections and end their 51-year relationship with the police union.
In their statement, union representatives also criticized the Boise City Council for approving a 9% raise for themselves and the mayor — a pay increase the union says they would never request for their own members. Full statement can be seen below.
Boise city officials sent a statement to Idaho News 6 in response to the police union's press release.
"The City of Boise has been engaged in negotiations with the Boise Police Union for over a year. Throughout this process, we’ve approached these conversations in good faith and with a deep respect for the work our officers and the challenges they face every day. These conversations have had significant efforts on both sides.
At the same time, the City’s budget process for Fiscal Year 2026 has been moving forward and the City’s fiscal outlook remains tight. Legislation from the State continues to constrain our ability to grow revenue to meet rising needs across our departments. To responsibly and accurately plan for next year and to ensure that the pay increases being proposed can be fully funded, it was essential to bring the contract to Council. Delaying further would only hurt the very people this contract is intended to support.
In that challenging context, the Mayor and Council have prioritized the Boise Police Department in this year’s budget. The city is looking to add six additional detectives. This is in addition to the proposed union contract valued at over $7 million. This investment reflects the City’s commitment to public safety and to our officers."
