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A second attempt to save retirees of the Frederick Police Department from a slight reduction in their pension payments failed earlier this month, as the Fraternal Order of Police once again rejected the city's offer to set a 0 percent minimum to its 22-year- pension plan this fiscal year.

The city and the police union went back into negotiations after FOP President Charlie Snyder informed aldermen last month that the union was not interested in incurring more than $195,000 in liability to its pension fund to save retirees from a 0.9 percent reduction in annuity payments.

"The plan has to stay funded for it to work, you can't just keep paying out of it," Snyder said. "I think we are the ones being fiscally responsible."

The pension reduction was a result of the drop in the Consumer Price Index, which the city uses to gauge its pension fluctuations. Aldermen voted June 4 to pass a resolution that would mandate cost-of-living adjustments on its 25- and 30-year pension plans cannot drop below 0 percent.

In the current economic conditions, maintaining the health of the plan for everyone — from police academy graduates to retirees — was the deciding factor for the union to reject the city's offer for the 22-year police plan, Snyder said.

The police union was ready to negotiate if the city was able to come up with a new offer, such as fronting half of the liability bill.

"We had our membership vote on it, and at this point, we're not going to accept the proposal as it's proposed," Snyder said. "Negotiating is give and take."

The 22-year plan amendments are on the agenda for a vote at tonight's Board of Aldermen meeting. If the aldermen override the union's decision, the city could be subject to a lawsuit from the union.

Police look for three suspects in weekend shooting, robbery

Frederick Police Department detectives are investigating a shooting and attempted robbery of a man that occurred this weekend on the city's West Side.

Police said they are looking for two men and a woman who have been identified as suspects in the Sunday incident, which took place in the 1300 block of David Lane.

The victim reported that upon entering his home, two men jumped out of bushes and approached him with a handgun. They proceeded to hit the victim across the head with one of the weapons, and when he fought back, shot him once in the leg before fleeing.

Police were not able to locate the suspects via canine tracking, and are asking for the community's help.

Police described the suspects as a black man in his early 20s, medium complexion, about 6-feet tall, wearing a dark-colored bandana covering his face, dark clothing and a dark hat; a black man in his early 20s with lighter skin, about 5-feet-8 inches tall, short hair, goatee, wearing a dark ball cap; and a woman in her early 20s, light-skinned, unknown race, with dark hair and about 5-feet-6 inches tall, who was wearing a light-colored shirt and blue jeans.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Curt Lege at 301-600-3918; information can also be provided via the Frederick Police Department Crime Tip Line at 301-600-TIPS or FPDCrimeTip@fredco-md.net.

E-mail Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.