City of Bradenton not honoring PBA contract with police despite arbitrator ruling, association says

Calls for Bradenton police to receive back pay

FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports that nearly 900 people have signed a petition supporting the Bradenton Police Department as they fight for back pay. This comes as the PBA claims that the city has reneged on an agreement to increase officers' compensation and that police still await accurate payment for services rendered during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

BRADENTON, Fla. - They work to make Bradenton a safer place, but the Southwest Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) says the city has failed its officers.

Bradenton police.

"This is all about honor and integrity, and right now, they’re lacking it," said PBA President Mick McHale.

It all stems from years of pay freezes and some officers receiving no raises.

The backstory:

In 2023, McHale negotiated with the City of Bradenton to place all officers into the correct pay bracket to reflect their current complete years of service.

The agreement that McHale negotiated with the City of Bradenton to reflect officers current service time.

When it came time to see the pay increase, McHale said the City of Bradenton reneged.

"It’s a financial impact, but more importantly, it’s the psychological impact of what’s your value? What is your value to our city?" said McHale.

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While the officers didn’t want it to get to this point, the PBA went into mediation, and an independent ruling ordered the city to pay.

"They continue to contribute in the reduction in crime. They continue to contribute to honor their oath. All we are asking in return is honor your word Bradenton, and they have not," said McHale.

The other side:

The City of Bradenton told FOX 13 they can not comment on pending litigation, but issued this statement:

"The City of Bradenton greatly respects the judicial process and values the contributions of our law enforcement officers. While we do not comment on pending legal matters, we exercise our right to appeal portions of the ruling that we believe are incorrect based on the case record.

Over the past three years, our police department has seen a roughly 30% increase in salaries, along with tens of millions of dollars invested in vehicles, equipment, and technology, as well as a $30+ million law enforcement center—all reflecting our commitment to supporting our officers. The Bradenton Police Department is one of the best-funded agencies of its size in Florida.

We remain committed to fostering positive relationships with our police force and ensuring the safety of our community as we continue to fight crime together."

What they're saying:

The PBA said Bradenton police are the second lowest paid agency in the Tampa Bay area. They also filed another grievance against the City of Bradenton, claiming officers weren’t properly paid for their service during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

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Earlier this week, Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown applauded local law enforcement during an event at a new training center.

Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown during an event at a new training center.

"One of the things I’m most proud of in our city is how we have supported our police department in the years with almost 38% raises since I became mayor. Supporting the police is important," said Brown.

What's next:

The city has appealed the arbitrator’s ruling to a circuit court.

Bradenton police officers.

Nearly 900 people have signed a petition supporting Bradenton police and demanding the City of Bradenton pay their officers what they deserve.

The PBA believes it’s an unnecessary step that continues to hurt sworn officers and the community.

"We believe when this is finally resolved and somebody takes the courage to say enough is enough, that the public will see the waste of taxpayers' dollars that was utilized by the city in an area that wasn’t warranted," McHale said.

The Source: FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon collected the information in this story.

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