DENVER (KDVR) — Monday night, Denver City Council is expected to vote on a new contract with Denver’s police union. 

The current contract between Denver and its police officers, largely represented by Denver Police Protective Association, expires Dec. 31. 

The city’s negotiation team and the union began hammering out a deal on in July. Within two weeks, both sides came to an agreement on a two-year contract. 

“Because of the economic climate that we find ourselves in, the negotiations were necessarily focused on budget reductions,” Denver’s chief negotiator Rob Nespor said. 

Nespor presented the terms of the agreement to Denver’s Safety, Housing, Education & Homelessness Committee on Sept. 2. The committee consists of all 13 Denver City Council members.

City council and the mayor get the final say in whether or not to approve the contract. 

The new deal calls for a freeze on raises in 2021. Denver police would also forego extra holiday pay for the year. 

“Those negotiated concessions equate to $4.96 million in actual budget savings in 2021,” Nespor said. 

In 2022, the $4.6 million in holiday pay would be restored. Plus, employees would receive a 2.77% raise over the course of the year, at a cost of $4.4 million. 

According to Nespor, if Denver is still facing a budget crisis heading into 2022, the contract can be renegotiated mid-way through.

“I have a heck of a problem assuring a raise when we have no assurance of similar raises in other elements of our workforce,” City Councilman Paul Kashmann said during the committee hearing.

Several other council members expressed concerns over numerous areas of the contract. They decided to move it out of committee and to a vote before the full city council. 

If it fails, both sides would have a chance to renegotiate. After that, the city and the union would each need to solidify its best and final offers on each sticking point. An arbitrator would then reach a final decision.