By Joanna Putman
Police1
HOUSTON, Texas — Houston Police Department cadets will receive their first pay increase in almost 10 years, Mayor John Whitmire announced during a news conference.
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The salary increase is intended to address staffing shortages in the department amid rising competition in law enforcement recruitment, the Houston Chronicle reported.
The pay for cadets will increase from $42,000 to $52,000 per year, and cadets will also receive a one-time $5,000 incentive upon graduation and certification, bringing their total first-year compensation to $57,000, according to the report.
“This is still not appropriate for your commitment to public service and willingness to put your life on the line,” Whitmire said. “But it’s a step in the right direction to let men and women across the state, the nation and this great city know we want them to become a Houston police officer.”
Once cadets graduate and complete a six-month probationary period, their salaries will increase to $62,574 under a 2022 agreement between the city and the Houston Police Officers’ Union. This raise comes as HPD continues efforts to compete with other Texas departments, such as Dallas, where new officers start at $70,000, according to the report.
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Newly-appointed Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz urged cadets to help recruit others to join the department.
“Call your brothers, cousins, family, your neighbors…this is an outstanding organization,” Diaz said.
Despite the pay increase, recruitment challenges remain, with HPD still seeking to hire an additional 2,000 officers, according to the report.
