BY ANGELA BONILLA & EMILY LINCKE
Growing challenges
Looking forward
Since law enforcement pay has increased through- out the Greater Houston region, smaller depart- ments, such as the 12-officer Roman Forest Police Department, have also adjusted starting pay, Chief Stephen Carlisle said Sept. 2. “Some of the small towns are left scratching the bottom of the barrel to try to somehow keep up. … It is very challenging,” Carlisle said. Roman Forest’s budget, adopted Sept. 9, includes higher starting salaries, Carlisle said. Officers’ starting pay was bumped from roughly $52,372 to $62,772. The city has also invested $350,000 in a police station expansion, which is slated to break ground at the end of this year. “[The expanded station] will definitely help with retention, because … that portion will be new, mod- ern and up to date, and it’ll be a nicer environment,” Carlisle said. Meanwhile, Carlisle said hiring has become increasingly difficult for law enforcement agencies in small towns, and state funding will be necessary
Montgomery County has $9 million slated in the preliminary budget for FY 2025-26 for the pay parity plan, which will begin to hit paychecks in October. Oct. 11 is the first day the pay parity plan will take effect for deputies, while the raises for jail staff will take effect in March. Education pay incentives Additional pay is available to all full-time county employees with degrees as of Oct. 11. Bachelor’s $1,560 Master’s $2,600 JD/Doctorate $3,640
Roman Forest police starting pay
$80K
$62,772.32
$60K
$50,188.32
$52,372.32
$40K
$20K
$0
2023-24 2024-25 2025-26
Fiscal year
SOURCE: ROMAN FOREST POLICE DEPARTMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
for small departments that can’t match continually increasing pay raises offered by larger law enforce- ment agencies. “Without [state] support, small towns will be priced out of the market for qualified officers,” Carlisle said in a joint Sept. 8 statement with Capt. Jeff Campbell.
SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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