DETROIT, MI -- Things appear to be looking up for the Detroit Police Department and its union card carrying members after years of job uncertainty, leadership changes and pay cuts.

The City of Detroit reached Wednesday afternoon a 5-year contract with the Detroit Police Officers Association that city officials claim will give cops a pay raise and put more officers on the street.

Terms of the deal, according to the city's website, include an 8% pay raise up front for cops in the Detroit Police Officers Association (DPOA) — after years of wage cuts — and a 15.5 % raise over the next five years.

This new agreement, according to the city's website, allows the Detroit Police Department to hire retired police officers for non-patrol jobs and move 150 active officers back into Detroit's neighborhoods.

"Public safety is the most important service our city provides and how well we provide it starts with how we treat our officers,” Mayor Duggan said in a statement. “This new contract is an important step forward in our ability to provide the level of public safety our residents deserve and to make sure our officers are fairly compensated.”

DPOA President Mark Diaz said in a statement Duggan deserves credit for bringing all sides together to complete the contract.

“Had the mayor not intervened and taken an active approach in this process, the DPOA would not have an agreement today,” Diaz said.

The Detroit Free Press reports the average salary for a DPD officer is $48,000.

Knowing how often cops put their lives on the line, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said in a statement he's glad savings could be identified in the city's budget to give them more incentives to do the job.

"We have the best police officers in the country," Craig said. "They deserve to be compensated for the job they do and this is a step in the right direction."