Flint Council Approves New Police Contract After Delay

City and union officials say the new three-year deal has potential to attract and retain more patrol officers.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Flint City Council has approved a new three-year police contract after initially delaying the decision to get more financial details. The contract includes initial and annual raises as well as a provision for back pay, and is expected to cost the city roughly $780,000 in the first year. The police union president praised the new deal, saying it will help retain and recruit new officers.

Why it matters

Flint has faced challenges with police staffing and retention in recent years, so this new contract is seen as an important step in addressing those issues and improving public safety in the city.

The details

The new contract between the city and the Flint Police Officers Association includes a retroactive 7% across-the-board wage increase and additional 6% pay hikes at the start of each of the next two fiscal years. The city will have 30 days to calculate and pay the new wages dating back to the expiration of the previous contract last July. The 61-member police union had approved the contract in a 60-0 vote.

  • The previous police contract expired in July 2025.
  • The Flint City Council approved the new three-year contract on March 9, 2026.
  • The city has 30 days to calculate and pay the new wages retroactively.

The players

Flint City Council

The governing body of the city of Flint, Michigan that approved the new police contract.

Flint Police Officers Association

The labor union representing police officers in Flint, which voted 60-0 to approve the new contract.

Sheldon Neeley

The mayor of Flint who initially urged the city council to approve the contract without delay.

Phillip Moore

The Flint city's Chief Financial Officer who provided details on the financial impact of the new contract.

Jon Cramer

The president of the Flint Police Officers Association who praised the new contract.

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What they’re saying

“We were waiting on the figures, and I want to say this, I didn't appreciate the mayor gaslighting this community because we were not holding this up.”

— Tonya Burns, 6th Ward Councilwoman (mlive.com)

“All of our hard-working officers from the police department just wanted to be compensated with a proper wage for the extremely difficult work (they provide).”

— Jon Cramer, President, Flint Police Officers Association (mlive.com)

What’s next

The city has 30 days to calculate and pay the new wages retroactively to the expiration of the previous contract in July 2025.

The takeaway

This new police contract represents an important step for Flint in addressing longstanding challenges with police staffing and retention, which are critical for improving public safety in the city. The council's initial delay in approving the deal highlights the need for transparency and collaboration between city leadership and the police union.