NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Two New Haven police officers charged with stealing money seized in drug raids must surrender their guns and badges.

New Haven police officials announced the firing of Detective Justin Kasperzyk and Lt. William White, who were arrested by federal agents last month.

The city's Board of Police Commissioners met on Wednesday night and voted that both Kasperzyk and White should be terminated. Both will lose tens of thousands of dollars' worth of sick and vacation time as a result.

The police union is filing a grievance and is working to save the officers' pensions.

"The mayor is reaching out to say, 'Listen, see what I did to these two officers? They're going to be fired tonight. We don't care what the contract says, I have to satisfy the public here,'" police union representative Sgt. Louis Cavaliere said.

Cavaliere added, "We've got a union. We've got a labor-management issue here. If you're going to do that, then the whole contract, to me, doesn't mean anything."

The union claimed that the officers' contracts do not specify that the city can take away the officers' pensions. The city plans to hold a hearing next week to address the matter.

White was the head of the department's narcotics squad.

Click here to e-mail news tips to Eyewitness News, or dial toll-free: 866-289-0333. Be sure to stay with WFSB.com and Channel 3 Eyewitness News for the latest news updates.