A chance to earn 33.8 percent more money by 2010 will free Bryson Ponce from dependence on weekly overtime work and special-duty assignments for the first time in his 9 1/2-year career as Kaua'i police officer.

Ponce, 32, is married, has a 10-month-old child and a mortgage.

"We live paycheck to paycheck," said the Hanalei District patrol officer, who regularly augments his 45-hour work week with extra-shift overtime duty and special duty on days off. "I got to do it to make $10,000 to $15,000 more a year."

That will change July 1 when officers receive the first of four annual 6 percent pay hikes under a new contract awarded by an arbitrator.

"When I calculated the numbers," said Ponce, the Kaua'i chapter SHOPO chairman, "it means working overtime is now a choice for me rather than something I'm forced to do. I'm probably going to cut my extra work in half so I can have more time with my family."

The contract adds a new, fifth pay level for officers with 25 or more years of service, in hopes of retaining veteran officers. Officers at the "L5" scale will get a 4.2 percent step increase this year in addition to the 6 percent everyone else is getting.

The 4.2 percent is equivalent to a raise gained when moving up to any of the current four pay levels, SHOPO president Tenari Maafala said.

"L5 hopefully will address retention and keep experienced guys around longer," said Officer John Steward, chairman of the Big Island SHOPO chapter.

"We have a lot of guys statewide going out at 25 years (of service) who are in their late 40s. They're at the peak of their careers. In patrol, guys like that are valuable because they can take the lead in the field."

Other features of the new agreement include increasing the motor vehicle allowance in January 2008 in Honolulu and on the Big Island to $600 a month for Group 1 (patrol and specialized division officers) and $562 for Group 2 (detectives); 20 cents per hour increases for Standard of Conduct differential in July 2008, and $720 annual stipend for uniform replacement and extra firearm-related purchases.

The Standard of Conduct differential increase amounts to $1.20 per hour for 2,080 hours.

"Police officers are accountable 24 hours, whether they're on duty or not, and can be terminated for any violation of the Standard of Conduct," Maafala said of the differential.

The total package is a step in the right direction, Maafala said.

"The least any officer is going to get is 33.8 percent," said Maafala.

"A PO5 (patrol officer 5 recruit) making $38,000 now will be getting $42,000, but any recruit coming in after July 1 will start at $42,000.

"I'm getting positive feedback, but I know it's not a perfect world, and you can't make 'em all happy," he added.

Because the union agreed to arbitration, the deal did not require ratification by SHOPO's 2,900 members.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.