STAMFORD - The 290-member police union today will elect an incumbent running for a seventh term or his perennial challenger.

Sgt. Joseph Kennedy, president of the Stamford Police Foundation, is running against Officer Michael Merenda, who held the post for three years before Kennedy unseated him last fall.

Kennedy was union president from 1999 to 2004, when Merenda won. The two have faced off in union elections four times before today's vote.

Kennedy, who heads the Youth Bureau and Internet Crimes Unit, said most elections between him and Merenda are close. Last year, Kennedy won by three votes.

"At this point, the membership really has determined that either Joe's philosophy or mine should be running this union, and that's why it's always close," Merenda said.

Kennedy characterized his leadership style as quieter and more diplomatic compared to Merenda. He believes in constant communication with the city, Kennedy said.

Having negotiated a 28 percent increase in off-duty wages for officers, Kennedy said he will pursue a long-sought detective rank, specially trained teams and a K-9 unit. The city is looking to extend most of its labor contracts when they expire June 30, he said.

"You can't get anything done without talking," Kennedy said. "Even if things don't look that great, you still can't stop talking. . . . We've made big economic strides in a down economic time."

As union president in 2007, Merenda was accused by the city of organizing a sick-out.

That year, he also brought the city into arbitration over the contract. A state arbiter decided for the city and denied Merenda's request for higher wages and pension increases.

Merenda said his colleagues deserve better than they've been receiving.

"Once again, our goals are quite similar," Merenda said of him and Kennedy. "How we get there or how they're fine-tuned is the difference between Joe and I."

Sgt. Chris Gioielli is running for vice president with Kennedy, and Sgt. Kris Engstrand is running for vice president with Merenda.

- Staff Writer Jeff Morganteen can be reached at jeff.morganteen@scni.com or 964-2215.