Dallas mayor calls on APD officers to work for Dallas Police Department instead

AUSTIN, Texas - The mayor of Dallas is calling on Austin police officers to work for the Dallas Police Department instead. This comes as police contract negotiations remain at a standstill between the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association.

During Thursday's Austin City Council meeting, three members of the Dallas City Council were in the audience. There, the Dallas council members praised the Austin council.

"I will say I appreciate all of y'all's work. Love this city," said Adam Bazaldua, Dallas City Council Member.

In that same meeting, Austin City Council approved an ordinance that guaranteed Austin officers the same benefits, stipends, wages, and retirement they currently have even when the current contract expires March 31. It also protects officers’ benefits, stipends, wages, and retirement in case a new contract cannot be made by that March 31 deadline.

RELATED: Austin City Council passes ordinance to provide short-term solution on APD compensation, oversight

"[We] will continue to pay our police and in fact, give our police pay increases and other incentive bonus possibilities," said Mayor Kirk Watson at Thursday’s meeting.

Two days later, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson tweeted in response to a FOX news article about Austin Police being severely understaffed due to Austin City Council decisions. 

"If you work for Austin PD, are still interested in protecting and serving, and are considering retiring from the profession, don’t. Come work for the residents of ⁦@CityOfDallas⁩ by joining ⁦@DallasPD⁩. We want and need you. #BigDallasEnergy."

FOX 7 Austin reached out to Austin Mayor Watson for comment, he wrote: "Police officers in Austin are the highest paid in the state, and experienced officers here are making, on average, 17 percent more than they would in Dallas. When you look at the compensation numbers side by side, it begs the question: who really values officers more?"

FOX 7 compared the Austin Police Department and Dallas Police Department's pay year by year using public data.

Right after police graduation, the Dallas Police Department offers more with close to $67,000 compared to APD’s almost $63,000, but as an officer’s years of experience increase, APD does offer more money in the long run.

Austin police:

• Graduation: $62,895/year
• Year 1: $70,580/year
• Year 2: $77,900/year
• Year 6: $83,351/year
• Year 17: $104,787, according to Mayor Watson

Dallas police:

• Graduation: $66,960
• Year 1: $68,986
• Year 2: $71,073
• Year 6: $80,073
• Year 17: $87,564

As for the police staffing shortage and sudden officer retirement, Mayor Watson says this is not just an Austin issue.

"It’s also important to note that law enforcement agencies everywhere are struggling with recruitment and retention. It’s not an Austin-specific issue. The Texas Department of Public Safety is currently down 550 troopers and unable to fill all its recruiting classes, according to testimony from Col. Steve McCraw today in a House committee hearing. Dallas is facing these problems, too. This is a systemic problem in law enforcement that requires a much more thoughtful and nuanced discussion than we’re having here. 

Some Austin officers had already decided to retire prior to the adoption of the ordinance on Thursday, but my hope is that those still considering their options will see this ordinance as a demonstration of good faith by the City Council. If they were retiring to protect the benefits in their contract, the guarantees in the ordinance mean they don’t have to retire. And we want them to stay," Mayor Watson said.

Mayor Watson adds the interim City Manager has been tasked with creating options to incentivize officers to stay with APD. 

"What he's been directed to do is, and he will carry out, is to make sure our police officers receive fair and appropriate pay raises this year, create incentives to recruit new officers to work to ensure the police force is fully staffed," Mayor Watson said at Thursday’s meeting.