BLOOMINGTON - Bloomington police and firefighters are backing Tari Renner in the upcoming election for mayor. | What would you ask the candidates?

Renner, a political science professor at Illinois Wesleyan University and a McLean County Board member, is in a three-way race for the top job on the City Council against incumbent Mayor Steve Stockton and newcomer Eric Decossas. The election is April 7.

Eric Poertner, chief labor representative from the Police Benevolent and Protective Association of Illinois, said the police and firefighter unions are endorsing their first candidate for mayor in their 70-plus year histories because they want someone at City Hall who is willing to sit down and talk with them.

"We have been trying to reach out for years, and we've been ignored," Poertner said in an announcement Thursday outside Beningo's restaurant, 610 W. Chestnut St. About 40 police officers and firefighters stood in the background of the announcement holding "Renner for Mayor" signs.

Renner said his priority is to ensure the police and fire departments get the funding they need despite the $5 million deficit the city is facing in its current year's budget and $6 million to $8 million in cuts expected for the coming year's budget.

"I am honored and humbled to be the first mayoral candidate to have the support of our city's police officers and firefighters," Renner said.

Stockton, a retired vice president from State Farm Insurance Cos., said the endorsement was not a surprise because Renner received union support in his previous bid for Congress.

However, Stockton said Poertner's comments were a shock.

"I know of no recent attempts where I have knowingly failed to respond to them," Stockton said, adding he recently met with a representative of the police patrol officers' union.

Decossas, a business analyst with State Farm, said he was not surprised by the announcement.

"This once again shows that another city department that doesn't want Stockton as mayor," Decossas said. "The police and fire endorsements make it obvious why we need a change in leadership."

The police and fire unions also endorsed Ward 7 Aldermen Steven Purcell in his bid for a second term on the City Council. Purcell, an employee at Mitsubishi Motors North America, faces a challenge for his seat representing the northwest side of Bloomington from retired school Principal Chuck Irwin and retired Pantagraph reporter James Keeran.