On Friday, February 7, City of Portland representatives will meet with the Portland Police Association (PPA) to discuss the protocols for upcoming bargaining negotiations over the PPA's contract with the city. The meeting is expected to turn contentious—the two sides don't have a history of agreeing on much—and the public has been invited to attend.

The meeting will focus on the basic guidelines for what could be months of negotiations between the city and the PPA, the union for rank-and-file officers at the Portland Police Bureau (PPB). The city's hoping to reach an agreement by June, when PPA's current three-year contract expires.

During the preliminary meeting, which will be held at Portland Community College's (PCC) southeast campus, lawyers representing both parties are expected to hash out a general timeline for the meetings and determine how many will be open to the public.

During past negotiations, bargaining meetings have been held at both City Hall and the PPA headquarters, where only the City Hall meetings were open to the public. The city is expected to request PPA agree to a similar—if not more transparent—structure for this year's negotiations.

While the public is allowed to attend the PCC meeting, they must follow strict rules agreed upon by both parties. Those rules include:

- No using cell phone, tablets, or laptops
- No taking photos or recording video or audio
- No talking
- No weapons
- No disruption ("as judged by the City's representative")
- Every attendee must sign a sign-in sheet and mark what time they arrive and what time they leave

The city's bargaining strategy regarding the coming negotiations remains under wraps, but members of the public have called for increased penalties for officers who use deadly force and a stronger civilian oversight system, among other things.

On Monday, PPB Chief Jami Resch told the Mercury she's hoping the contract includes requirements around the bureau's burgeoning officer wellness program, which prioritizes cops' mental and physical health. Resch, who is not part of the negotiating team, identified other areas that could be codified to improve officers' health.

"For example: breaks in between shifts," Resch said. "Right now, there is nothing that requires [breaks], but a part of the wellness piece is understanding that people do need a break. If you're working night shift and then you have to go court all day, and then night shift comes up again—there's a very small window of time [to rest]."

The rule-setting meeting will be held on Friday, February 7 at 2 pm at Portland Community College's Southeast Community Hall.