Crockett chief warns of staff losses, council orders pay study and committee

The City of Crockett's police chief told the city council on the budget workshop that the police department is "four officer short" and that recent departures and competing regional salaries threaten the department's ability to provide services. The chief urged the council to adopt a pay scale that begins at $22.50 an hour and includes multi‑year steps designed to improve retention.

Council members said recruitment has become urgent as nearby agencies, school districts and counties offer substantially higher starting pay. "We're not paying them enough," the chief said, and noted the department has already responded to 5,140 calls so far this year compared with 7,080 calls in all of last year. He told the council a first‑year cost estimate to move to the recommended pay scale would be roughly $212,310, with lower recurring costs later depending on step progressions.

The discussion moved quickly from numbers to process. Councilmember Jones moved that the council adopt the chief's pay recommendation as the working starting point and form an in‑house committee, with at least one council member, to develop a package that addresses public‑safety compensation and reviews pay for other city employees; the motion was seconded and carried. Council asked staff to assemble precise cost figures, explore funding options and identify deadlines tied to the November ballot cycle if voter approval is required.

Mayor and council members emphasized the need to balance public‑safety priorities with the broader workforce. The mayor said staff must present detailed, sustainable projections before any decision to raise tax rates is finalized; he noted that state rules cap certain property‑tax adjustments and that the city must prepare a contingency budget if a ballot measure does not pass.

Next steps set by council include an in‑house analysis (with council participation), follow‑up budget workshops and public hearings to explain the package to residents. Staff was directed to return with the salary study numbers and a calendar showing the hard deadlines for calling an election and adopting a budget.

The council left the workshop with instructions to prioritize public‑safety compensation but to provide a complete, citywide picture before asking voters to approve higher taxes.