The Woodland City Council approved two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the Woodland Police Officers' Association (WPOA) during its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18, granting officers a greater role in promotions and providing job protections for certain leadership positions.
The first MOU establishes a peer review process for all promotional evaluations for the position of sergeant.
"This provides them the opportunity so when the sergeant position comes in play, they have a weighted say in the selection process," Mayor Todd Dinehart said.
Dinehart explained that the agreement does not give the WPOA the power to make hiring decisions but allows it to have input.
"It doesn't say ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ that they have to be hired, that person that they recommend, but at least gives them a voice in the process," he said.
The mayor noted that during the last round of sergeant promotions, WPOA members had concerns about their lack of involvement. He said the WPOA was ultimately satisfied with the outcome but wanted a more formalized role in the future.
"They came to me and said, 'Hey, listen, we would like to implement this,' so Chief Gibbs and I have been working with them on this," Dinehart said.
Police Chief Robert Gibbs voiced support for the MOU, saying that allowing officers to participate in the selection process is beneficial.
"I think it's a good thing because it allows the officers to have input, and it's not solely on the shoulders of the chief or the mayor," Gibbs said. "They're the ones on the ground with the individual who may become a supervisor or leader within the agency."
The second MOU provides protections for WPOA members applying for lieutenant or chief positions. If those roles are eliminated due to administrative changes beyond the officers' control, the agreement ensures that their career advancement opportunities remain safeguarded.
Both MOUs were approved unanimously.
