Harris County constables are calling for immediate action to address pay disparities among local law enforcement agencies.
A joint press conference was held Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m.
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The eight elected Harris County constables spoke out following the Houston City Council’s recent approval of a five-year contract with the Houston Police Officers’ Union. The deal will increase HPD officer salaries by 38% over the next five years, making them the highest-paid department in Texas.
READ MORE: Houston City Council unanimously approves new HPD contract to raise pay, recruit officers
At the press conference, Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones called public safety her top priority and pointed to more than 350 law enforcement vacancies countywide.
“We need to get this done. This is a public safety issue,” she said. “Our public safety officers are the backbone of our community, and they deserve fair, competitive pay.”
Commissioner Tom Ramsey highlighted the growing staffing crisis facing both Houston and Harris County law enforcement agencies.
“Today, there’s roughly 1,200 openings at the Houston Police Department. We have, as Commissioner Briones said, a little over 300 in Harris County,” Ramsey said. “If we don’t pass pay parity today, this time next year, there’ll be 1,200 law enforcement openings in the county and probably 300 openings in the city. So, there is that sense of urgency.”
Ramsey stressed the county has the resources to make this happen.
“We have a $2.7 billion budget. Finding $141 million for pay parity is doable. It’s a matter of priorities,” he said. “We can’t afford to lose these experienced, dedicated officers to other agencies.”
Houston Police Officers’ Union President Doug Griffith also stood with the group, warning that HPD would happily hire underpaid county deputies if pay isn’t improved.
“We don’t want to steal their people, but we will,” Griffith said. “We’re all in this together when it comes to public safety, but the county needs to step up.”
Details
In a joint statement ahead of the press conference, the constables said the raise for HPD officers highlights a long-standing pay gap affecting their own deputies.
“Our dedicated deputy constables deserve comparable pay, as they continue to serve our communities with professionalism and commitment despite being significantly undercompensated relative to their regional counterparts,” the statement reads.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has also publicly voiced concerns about pay inequity in recent weeks, saying his deputies are underpaid and undervalued compared to other agencies in the area.
BACKGROUND: Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez believes deputy pay should be ‘top priority’ in upcoming budget cycle
Following Wednesday’s city council vote, the president of the HPD union suggested the department would actively recruit deputies from other agencies, calling it a business decision.
The constables argue Harris County has the resources to pay its deputies more and say the issue requires “immediate attention and resolution.”
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