Amid a prolonged disagreement between Austin City Council and the Austin Police Department (APD), Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson recently suggested that the city’s law enforcement personnel come work for Dallas instead.
“If you work for Austin PD, are still interested in protecting and serving, and are considering retiring from the profession, don’t,” Mayor Johnson wrote over the weekend on Twitter.
“Come work for the residents of @CityOfDallas by joining @DallasPD. We want and need you,” he continued.
Attached to the tweet was an article from Fox News highlighting the growing tension between Austin’s government and its police department. An anonymous source allegedly within the APD told Fox that around 40 police officers resigned following a council vote to propose a single-year contract with the Austin Police Association instead of a four-year contract.
Similarly, the president of the Austin Police Retired Officer Association, Dennis Farris, suggested to Fox, “I fear we’re going to see a mass exodus of the senior people with longevity,” adding that he expects around a hundred resignations in the near future.
Mayor Johnson has visibly backed law enforcement personnel during his tenure in Dallas, notably pushing back against calls to “Defund the Police” during the protests following the death of George Floyd, as reported by The Dallas Express.
Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia applauded Johnson as “[t]he most vocal and supportive Mayor of law enforcement in the country, even when it wasn’t ‘popular,’” tweeting, “Our neighborhoods and @DallasPD are fortunate!”
Currently, the Dallas PD faces a 19% vacancy rate with 856 openings throughout the department, as covered by The Dallas Express.
Chief Garcia recently suggested to members of Dallas City Council’s Public Safety Committee that recruiting former members of the military who were dismissed for refusing COVID-19 vaccinations could help solve DPD’s recruitment problems.
In an attempt to retain officers while contract negotiations are ongoing, Austin City Council passed an ordinance on February 23 that includes a pay increase for all officers beneath assistant chief, signing bonuses for cadets, and an expanded retention strategy.
“We are sending a clear message that — no matter what — we value our officers and want them to continue to serve our communities responsibly,” Austin Councilmember Ryan Alter claimed.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a statement to The Dallas Express, “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?” Watson said.
Pointing back to the recent ordinance, the mayor added, “[W]e directed the City Manager to develop a plan to give officers a pay raise and address the current shortage of police officers by offering retention and recruitment incentives.”
“It’s also important to note that law enforcement agencies everywhere are struggling with recruitment and retention,” Watson continued. “Dallas is facing these problems, too.”
“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,” Watson added.
The Dallas Express reached out to the Austin PD for comment but did not hear back prior to publication.