Dallas Police Association President Jaime Castro spoke in front of the Dallas City Council, calling for better pay for officers, explaining that a large portion of DPD officers leave to take roles with better compensatory packages.
Castro took the microphone during Wednesday’s City Council Meeting, stating that Dallas constituents understand the importance of the police department, implying the council has not taken the steps necessary to represent the requests of the voters.
“Forty percent of our officers are leaving with five years or less at a tune of millions of dollars: $275,000 per officer to train them… and they’re leaving,” Castro explained.
“Why are they leaving? They’re leaving for cities and departments that, again, understand and respect their value. And they compensate them accordingly. They’re going to places where they don’t have to fight. A lot of times, they don’t even have to ask for it. It’s given to them.”
Castro ended his message by directly telling the Dallas City Council that changes must be made to help keep officers in the city where they are trained.
“I implore you. I implore the city of Dallas, and the City Council, and the City Manager. Don’t be the general store. Don’t be the general store,” Castro stressed.
These comments come as the Dallas City Council continues to face scrutiny for the lack of action taken to address Proposition U, which was passed by voters in 2024 and sets standards for minimum staffing and pay for the Dallas Police Department (DPD).
Proposition U dictates that the DPD must maintain at least 4,000 sworn-in officers while also stating that starting combined salary and non-pension benefits must rank inside the top five of certain nearby areas.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the recent Dallas City budget aims to address some of these guidelines, though overall budget proposals lack many of the necessary requirements to fulfill Proposition U.
The lack of noticeable change in the budget to account for these guidelines prompted Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn to point out the issues, claiming serious “recruitment and retention risks” and issues with Proposition U compliance, as reported by DX.
The Dallas City Council is expected to hold a final vote on the proposed budget on September 17. However, it remains unclear if any changes will be made to address concerns with the police compensation.