Government
BY AUBREY VOGEL
Fort Bend County OKs $10.2M raises for law enforcement
Fort Bend County law enforcement raises
Fort Bend County law enforcement employees will receive $10.2 million in raises in fiscal year 2024-25, funded by a hiring freeze of nearly half the vacant positions in the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. The raises, which were unanimously approved at the Sept. 24 Fort Bend County Commissioners Court, will range from 4% to 53%, with an average of 22.2% higher than last year’s pay, Director of Human Resources Nicole Ledet said. The raises come after FBCSO officials urged county officials to help address the department’s detention staffing shortage. Sheriff Eric Fagan cited poor working conditions and noncompeti- tive pay as pain points when looking to hire and retain employees. “[The raises] will allow our law enforcement agencies to be able to attract new personnel into their agencies at a rate of pay that we believe is competitive to other counties,” Ledet said.
The cost Funding will be provided by freezing 58 of the 123 FBCSO vacant positions as well as cost of living adjustment funds, Director of Finance and Investments Pamela Gubbels said. The positions in the sheriff’s office will be frozen for the entirety of FY 2024-25, which ends Sept. 30, 2025; however, the sheriff can request some or all of the positions back in next year’s budget, she said. Looking ahead The raises will be implemented in two phases, with Phase 1 adjusting up to 10% of an individual’s salary, while Phase 2 will add supplemental funding if an individual received over a 10% increase, Gubbels said. Phase 1 of raises went into effect Oct. 12, while Phase 2 will be implemented in mid-April.
Sheriff’s office: $8.67 million Constables’ offices: $737,259 Other*: $770,444
$10.2 million
*OTHER INCLUDES LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL IN THE OFFICES OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, FAIRGROUNDS, FIRE MARSHAL, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES-ENVIRONMENTAL, JUVENILE PROBATION, MEDICAL EXAMINER, AND ROAD AND BRIDGE. SOURCE: FORT BEND COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SUGAR LAND - MISSOURI CITY EDITION
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