Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn is calling for an updated salary survey for police officers, warning that the city’s proposed pay plan could fail to meet the requirements of Proposition U, the voter-approved charter amendment setting minimum staffing and compensation standards for the Dallas Police Department (DPD).

“Our officers deserve nothing less than a city that invests in their success as much as they invest in ours,” she wrote in an August 14 memo. 

Concerns over Recruitment and Retention

Mendelsohn expressed “serious concerns” in the memo about the proposed FY 2025-2026 budget for Dallas police salaries. She pointed to two major issues: “recruitment and retention risks,” and compliance with Proposition U – the voter-approved amendment setting minimum pay and staffing requirements.

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“In a competitive environment, especially in the Metroplex, our current proposal does not position Dallas to attract top talent or retain experienced officers over the long term,” Mendelsohn wrote. “The current pay proposal does not appear to meet the intent of voter-approved proposition requirements for public safety pay.”

Concerns about Outdated Pay Data

The budget proposal falls significantly short of Proposition U’s staffing and salary standards, as The Dallas Express previously reported. 

Mendelsohn specifically took issue with the salary survey that helped prepare the budget proposal, saying it was dated in March – meaning the “underlying data collection likely occurred in the very early months of 2025.”

“Given the rapid pace of change in the North Texas labor market, particularly for public safety positions, this timeframe renders the data outdated for making competitive pay decisions,” she wrote. 

Call for a New Targeted Survey

She called for a “new, targeted salary survey” for officers specifically in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Mendelsohn said the “narrower scope” will bring “more precise and relevant data,” so the salaries can better align with market conditions and competition.

“Given the urgency of the current budget cycle, I request that this updated information be provided as soon as possible,” she wrote. She emphasized the need for robust “recruitment, retention, and operational excellence.”

Current Pay Ranking and Prop U Requirements

Currently, more than 20 departments across North Texas pay higher salaries than the proposed amount for Dallas police officers, according to Mendelsohn.

Proposition U requires Dallas police officers’ combined salary and non-pension benefits to rank within the top five across the metroplex, and the department insists it is among regional leaders in this area, as The Dallas Express reported.

The most recent regional base pay comparison shows Dallas’ proposed starting pay of $81,232 would rank 12th among area departments and fall about $4,700 short of the $85,925 needed to reach the top five.

While the amendment also requires the city to maintain at least 4,000 sworn officers, the department expects to increase its ranks to just 3,424 by the end of FY 26.

Push for Market-Leading Pay

“Our police and fire departments are among the finest in the nation, and our pay should reflect that same standard of excellence,” Mendelsohn wrote. “I believe this moment calls for decisive action to ensure that our budget reflects market-leading compensation for our officers, who serve and protect our residents every day.”