Police officers in Hawaii will receive annual pay raises over the next four years in an arbitration award expected to cost the city of Honolulu $96 million.

The union representing the state’s police officers announced Friday that an arbitrator’s binding decision will result in a 2 percent raise retroactive to July 1, followed by a 2.25 percent increase next year, then 2 percent raises each of the following two years.

With a boost in the firearms allowance and bonuses, the contract will result in a cumulative increase from 14 to 17 percent, said Tenari Ma’afala, president of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO).

“This is good news for police officers and their families,” Ma’afala said in a news conference at the union’s Kalihi headquarters. “It’s a pay raise they all deserve.”

But Mayor Kirk Caldwell said that because the Honolulu Police Department is so large, the arbitrated pay raises are estimated to cost $96 million over the four-year period.

“Our men and women of the Honolulu Police Department put themselves in harm’s way every single day and this has resulted in Honolulu being one of the safest big cities in the country,” Caldwell said in a statement.

“While I support the pay raises for our police officers, it’s the third and fourth years where the cost really escalates, and the city will be challenged to fund these arbitrated costs,” the mayor said.

Under state law each year of the pay raises must be approved by the Honolulu City Council, as well as its counterparts in the other counties.

Most police officers are employed by the city and counties, meaning most of the cost of the arbitrated raises and fringe benefits will be borne by the Honolulu, Hawaii island, Maui and Kauai county governments.

The raises negotiated with SHOPO appear to be in line with increases awarded to other bargaining groups, at least over the first couple of years. For example, earlier in the year an arbitrator awarded 2 and 2.25 percent raises over two years to Hawaii’s firefighters.

Historically, the firefighters’ contract settlements have established a base line often followed in awards and settlements with the state’s other public worker unions.

According to the latest arbitration award, the compensation for police officers to maintain their firearms and ammunition for training and other related expenses will double to $1,000 from $500 per year.

The decision continues the one-time lump sum bonuses ranging from $1,800 to $2,000 per year. However, a new $500 step bonus will be offered to officers with at least 28 years of employment, effective in 2020.

Ma’afala said he thought the decision was affordable and fair for the state and counties, given not only the state of the economy, but the potentially dangerous work police do on a daily basis.

“They deserve it. We’re happy,” Ma’afala said. “This is a very fair award that our officers deserve.”

He said the details governing the use of body cameras are still being discussed in other negotiations with the city. He said while the union supports the effort and favors greater transparency, a few procedures and policies are still being negotiated.

“For us, we definitely support it,” he said, adding that he’s confident video footage will afford officers “a better argument relative to the accusations that have been lodged against them.”