MJP –
The mayor of Houston, John Whitmire, has announced a significant salary increase for the city’s police cadets, who had not seen a rise in their income for nearly a decade.
Effective immediately, the base salary for these dedicated workers will increase from USD 42,000 to USD 52,000 annually.
Additionally, cadets will receive a bonus of USD 5,000 upon completing their training and certification, bringing their total first-year earnings to USD 57,000.
Minimum Wage Increase Goal
The goal of this salary adjustment is to improve the working conditions for cadets and to incentivize more individuals to join the police force. After six months of service, newly graduated officers will see another pay increase, reaching an annual salary of USD 62,574.
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Whitmire emphasized that while this increase is substantial, it still does not fully reflect the sacrifices and dedication required for police service.
However, he considered it a crucial step towards improving the working conditions of officers, who risk their lives daily to protect the community.
Minimum Wage in Texas: How Much Do Other Cities Pay?
Despite the increase, Houston still lags behind other cities in Texas when it comes to compensation.
For instance, in Dallas, officers already enjoy a base salary of USD 70,000, highlighting the need for continued adjustments to payments in Houston.
How to Apply to be an Officer in Texas?
Noe Díaz, the new Chief of Police in Houston, applauded the measure and took the opportunity to urge cadets to recruit new members for the police force.
The reason? The department has been facing a long-standing personnel shortage. It is hoped that this salary increase will help attract more candidates and bolster the city’s security.
