Dallas PD makes 'bigger, better, and bolder' offer to Houston officers
DALLAS - A rival Texas city is making an aggressive move to relocate Houston officers who may be "sick" of their current post.
The Dallas Police Department addressed their Wednesday X post directly to Houston police.
Dallas PD seeks Houston officers
What they're saying:
In their flier on X, Dallas PD offered a starting salary of up to $91,007 for lateral officers, or those with experience moving from one city to another.
In a move to ease the transition, Dallas says they'll offer a full process within Houston for officers wanting to accept the deal.
By the numbers:
These are the perks Dallas PD says they'll offer lateral officers:
- All uniforms and equipment provided
- Shortened lateral academy
- Shift differential pay 3.5%-6.5%
- Off-duty job opportunities
- Eight-hour and 10-hour shifts
- Tuition reimbursement
- Up to $3,000 relocation reimbursement
Recent Houston PD Raises
Dig deeper:
In comparison with Dallas' offer, the Houston City Council recently approved a contract to increase salaries by 36% within the next five years.
According to the May 9 proposal, pay would start with a 10% increase starting this July, followed by an 8% increase in 2026, 6% in 2027 and 2028, and 6.5% in 2029.
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Houston City Council approves pay raise for police officers
The contract includes salary increases that would rise by about 36% within the next five years.
The base pay for a first-year officer would start at $75,000 starting July 1.
Officers would also receive more pay for working weekends or if their shifts start at noon or later. When added to the first-year officer's proposed base pay, these increases would raise the pay to $81,600.
Dallas PD Hiring Push
The backstory:
Last November, Dallas voters approved a dramatic increase in their police force, aiming to hire 900 more officers to reach a total of 4,000.
Dallas has struggled to recruit and retain officers in recent years, with many residents worried about the crime rate and officer response abilities.
Most recently, Dallas reduced its proposed target of 400 new officers this fiscal year to 325. In February, the police chief suggested pulling officers from other departments as a short-term fix to response times.
Read More:
- Former top Dallas leaders warn against city charter propositions: 'It would paralyze the city'
- Dallas PD's $56M in overtime a bargain to the city, police leaders say
- Dallas Police Association opposes amendment that would require city to hire more police
- Former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings urging residents to vote "no" on HERO amendments
The Source: Information in this article came from the Dallas Police Department, the Houston Police Department and previous FOX reporting.