HOUSTON – After the Houston Police Department boosted pay for officers, agencies across the region are scrambling to keep up and keep their people from leaving for better-paying departments.
On Thursday, Harris County commissioners voted to give some of their top law enforcement leaders a major raise even as the county faces a $200 million budget deficit. The raise wouldn’t happen unless next year’s budget passes in September.
READ MORE: Harris County commissioners vote 3-2 to give constables raises
Harris County’s eight constables currently earn about $178,000 a year. Under the proposal, their pay would jump to $293,000 a 63% increase. Commissioners also approved a plan to bring the sheriff’s salary in line with Houston’s police chief.
The pay hikes passed in a 3-2 vote. Commissioners Lesley Briones, Adrian Garcia, and Tom Ramsey voted yes. Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Judge Lina Hidalgo voted no.
On Friday, KPRC2’s Re’Chelle Turner spoke to Commissioner Ellis and asked him why he voted against the increase.
“You have to balance your budget, and you can’t just decide you want to spend money… If you’re going to spend money, you need to be willing to ask for more revenue or make cuts,” Ellis told Turner.
Supporters of the raises say it’s about keeping talent and preventing deputies from leaving for better pay elsewhere.
“A lot of the young officers do pretty much chase the money, and they would certainly go where the money is,” Constable Mark Herman said.
Police and sheriff’s departments across Southeast Texas are competing for recruits and working to retain experienced officers. Here’s how starting salaries compare.
- Houston Police Department - $81,600 [READ MORE: Houston Police Department’s new starting salary-- how does it compare?]
- Sugar Land Police Department -detention officer starts off $51,418, police officer recruit starts off at $75,605. [READ MORE]
- Rosenberg Police Department – starting off at $52,665.60 [READ MORE]
- Galveston Police Department – $67,124 (after academy; cadet pay: $50,555) [READ MORE]
- Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office – $68,000 (This information came from The Fort Bend County Human Resources Department)
- Galveston County Sheriff’s Office – $58,195 [READ MORE]
- Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office – $57,576 to $61,082 [READ MORE]
- Harris County Sheriff’s Office – $57,000 [READ MORE]
Fort Bend County Sheriff Eric Fagan also spoke about pay while addressing jail concerns and senate Bill 9 at Commissioners court on Tuesday.
“I’m very grateful to the Commissioner’s Court for the raises that we gave to the deputies. I’m very grateful for that because it’s been well needed. They haven’t had a raise in over 12 years. So, we were above the board. But what happened when we did that? The other areas in this region went up on their salaries. Harris County Sheriff’s Office has went up on salaries, being comparable to HPD’s. We have to do the same to bring people and to keep people here at the Sheriff’s Office,” he said.
The raises — along with the rest of the county budget — will be decided at the September 18 budget vote. Until then, the $200 million deficit looms large over the decision.