Pay bumps: Deputy sheriffs get 18%, probation officers 17.25% over 5 years under new contracts

Suffolk lawmakers approved new contracts for a pair of police unions representing deputy sheriffs and probation officers, raising base salaries by 18% and 17.25%, respectively, over five years.

The pay bumps mirror similar agreements reached with other law enforcement unions that began  last year, such as the Police Benevolent Association and Superior Officers Association.

The starting salary for members of the Suffolk County Probation Officers Association increases from $45,388 to $62,497, union president Matt Porter said. The top step increases from $97,875 to $125,266.

The probation department currently has 216 officers in the union, Porter said.

The starting salary for members of the Deputy Sheriffs Police Benevolent Association increases from $39,000 to $45,200, union president Tom Bivona said. The top step climbs from $102,987 to $123,070.

Those figures do not include overtime or other pay.

The deputy sheriffs union currently has 295 members.

The Suffolk Legislature held a special meeting Wednesday afternoon to approve both deals, which run retroactively from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2029.

The members of both unions ratified their contracts before Wednesday’s legislature vote.

County Executive Edward P. Romaine said in a statement to Newsday that the contracts aimed to improve recruitment and retention and reduce overtime costs.

"These contracts acknowledge [probation officers' and deputy sheriffs'] dedication while advancing our commitment to fiscal responsibility," he said. "Suffolk County remains committed to supporting the men and women who put themselves on the line every day to keep our communities safe."

Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) thanked both union leaders for "negotiating in good faith with the county executive and bringing us a contract that meets the needs of your members and this county."

The legislature approved both contracts 15-0 with three members absent.

Pact covers excessive overtime 

The deputy sheriff contract includes a provision to curtail excessive overtime. Bivona said the union agreed to a 24-hour rule, which they modeled after other police agencies. Officers who work 24 hours consecutively are required to have a full shift off before they can work again, Bivona said.

"The sheriff [Errol D. Toulon Jr.] had come to us last year and had concerns with guys that were able to work hours after hours," Bivona said in an interview. "They were able to work indefinitely. Now we’re going to put a constraint on it."

A Newsday analysis of the county’s 2025 payroll found the top eight overtime earners last year were all deputy sheriffs who earned between $227,255 and $309,139 in overtime.

Porter said the new deal should help with recruitment and retention. Candidates for probation officer are required to have a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the starting salary made it a tough selling point, he noted. A college degree, by comparison, is not required to join the Suffolk County Police Department.

"I think we have a balanced, fair deal that enables future probation officers to have some type of hope that they could make it financially in Suffolk County," Porter said in an interview.

 Porter, who’s a third-generation probation officer, said adding to the department’s ranks in the coming years would be critical because between 60 and 70 officers were eligible for retirement.

"We need to be prepared for that day," he said.

A review of the contracts from the legislature’s nonpartisan budget review office was not yet available.

The latest two contracts leave the Suffolk County Detective Investigator's Police Benevolent Association as the final law enforcement union currently out of contract. 

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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