PBA Asks Deputy Mayor, and Township Committee, to Support the Police

By Barbara A. Preston | Posted May 24, 2025

Montgomery Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Sal Intili spoke during the public comment session of the May 15 Township Committee meeting regarding a “lack of support from committee members.”

He also said, “I’m here to comment on [Deputy Mayor] Vince Barragan’s political campaign article that was posted in The Montgomery News recently.

“To quote Vince: Build for the Future, improve and modernize our infrastructure, part of this is coming to an equitable agreement with our PBA union. Their contract expired last year.”

Barragan had told the newspaper, “I believe I’ve been a champion for our police department. I was a police explorer as a teenager and I want to make sure we do right by the police.”

Intili said, “After reading this article, I felt compelled to come here and speak ... to say that Vince’s statement is the furthest from the truth.”

Intili further explained that he had reached out to the deputy mayor about the difficulties the Montgomery Township Police Department is experiencing.

Montgomery police officers have been working without a contract for about six months now. The PBA and the municipality continue to negotiate. Intili said he wanted to talk to the township officials to “explain that we are vastly underpaid compared to our neighboring police departments.

“Also, our department lost nine officers since 2019 at an expense of more that $1 million to the township.”

Intili told The Montgomery News that Montgomery Township hires young police officers, often pays to send them to police academy, and trains them. Unfortunately, other police departments in the area pay better.

Because they can make better money in a neighboring community, Montgomery’s best young officers are lured away. When a Montgomery police officer is recruited by another municipality, Montgomery loses its investment and has to start the hiring process, and often the subsequent training, all over again.

Rather than relying on the lawyers to negotiate, Intili said he thought it would be useful to actually have a conversation with township officials.

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The Negotiation Process

Deputy Mayor Barragan, who is up for re-election this year, asked The Montgomery News for an opportunity to respond to Officer Intili.

“You can imagine my surprise by the recent public comments from the Montgomery PBA regarding my support for our police and the Township Committee’s efforts,” he said. “The remarks made at the May 15 Township Committee meeting and on social media misrepresent my commitment.”

Barragan said contract negotiations are often difficult and time-consuming. However, he said, “inflammatory rhetoric helps no one.” Both sides must come to the table ready to compromise.

“The Township Committee is committed to reaching a fair agreement—but it must be sustainable and in the best interest of all Montgomery residents,” Barragan said.

It is important to respect the negotiation process, he added. “Best practices are that labor negotiations be handled by the designated professionals—both the PBA and the township have theirs.

“When the PBA asked for my direct involvement in January, I declined to ensure that proper channels were followed. That wasn’t meant to offend; it was the right call then and remains so today.”

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Barragan said that Township Committee does provide input and guidance into the negotiations, and had a constructive meeting with the PBA leadership in December 2024.

“My record is clear. Since joining the Township Committee, I’ve consistently championed significant investments in our police department,” he said. “I led the effort to relieve officers of burdensome, state-mandated body camera record-keeping by securing funding for additional administrative support."

"In 2024, I was instrumental in passing the first meaningful staffing increase for our officers in nearly a decade—recognizing the growing demands they face, especially around mental health calls. Most recently, we reinstated the position of Chief of Police, a step I fully supported."

“I stand by my comments in the May Montgomery News issue.”

The Montgomery News looks forward to running a more in-depth article on this issue.