A Classification Audit
A Report on the State’s Law Enforcement Salary Schedule (Salary Schedule C) for the 2020-2021 Biennium
September 2018
Summary Analysis
Overall, the fiscal year 2018 average maximum base pay for the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state increased from fiscal year 2016. During that same time period, the State’s maximum base pay for salary groups within Salary Schedule C remained the same, with the exception of an increase for employees in salary group C3 (for example, Troopers and Game Wardens) who have 20 or more years of service. Therefore, certain adjustments would be needed to match the maximum base pay in Salary Schedule C to the average maximum base pay of the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state.
This report also offers an option for aligning the pay in Salary Schedule C with the average mid-range base pay of the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state. Overall, the fiscal year 2018 average mid-range base pay for the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state also increased from fiscal year 2016.
- Option 1 – Align Salary Schedule C with the market average maximum base pay. Texas Government Code, Section 654.037(b), requires a comparison of Salary Schedule C with the market average maximum base pay. Aligning Salary Schedule C with the market average maximum base pay would have an estimated cost to five state agencies of approximately $22.9 million in each year of the 2020-2021 biennium. The Department of Public Safety would incur approximately 78.6 percent of that cost.
- Option 2 – Align Salary Schedule C with the market average mid-range base pay. Aligning Salary Schedule C with the market average mid-range base pay would have an estimated cost to five state agencies of approximately $13.6 million in each year of the 2020-2021 biennium. The Department of Public Safety would incur approximately 77.6 percent of that cost.
To align Salary Schedule C with the average maximum base pay of the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state, certain adjustments would be needed to match the maximum base pay in Salary Schedule C to the average maximum base pay of the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state.
Similarly, certain adjustments also would be needed to align the mid-range base pay in Salary Schedule C to the average mid-range base pay of the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state.
In most cases, the State’s supplemental pay for education, certifications, and bilingual skills for employees in Salary Schedule C is less than the supplemental pay provided by the seven largest local law enforcement departments in the state.