Houston never truly fell into the ridiculous push for defunding the police that came as a result of the George Floyd riots. But we also have not done much to help our local law enforcement either. They have been grossly underpaid for a long time and are heavily understaffed as a result of that lack of payment.
County leaders have not done much to help the Harris County Sheriff's Office in recent years, with the last 'raises' coming pre-pandemic. Even that raise put the deputies still 20-percent below what other similar sized departments are paid. That is absurd, when you consider the size of Houston, and the problems they have had to deal with after former Mayor Sylvester Turner's soft stance on crime.
Now, the Harris County Deputies' Organization wants their fair share. They are pushing now for collective bargaining. For that to happen, they have to submit a petition to bring it to the voters for approval. Charles Blain of Urban Reform says this just shows how fed up they are.
"They feel they have not received the raises and comparable pay the deserve...and now they are asking the voters to give it to them, if they cannot get it the current way," he says.
Their last raise came using American Rescue Plan Act funding, and again, left them well below what the standard should be. They have had plenty of issues as well in the jail, with deaths of inmates, and that also falls back on the retention of employees with pay. This can be a solution to that.
But they might have to sit and wait with their current contract awhile.
"By 2025, they would be under the existing contract, and then go to residents to sign the petition, that would then bring it for a vote," he says. "Then in 2025, ideally, is when they would hope to move to collective bargaining...but they are under their current one at least another year."
As mentioned, Houston did not participate in the defund the police movement, which was maybe one of the only good things former Mayor Sylvester Turner did.
But the lack of raises, and lack of concern for the officer's well-being, is basically the same thing.
"If you are not keeping pay at the same rate, as the increase in the cost of living, then you are effectively defunding them in a sense," says Blain. "What we have seen is a reluctance from county officials to provide more funding."
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez has already said he supports the union's motion. At earliest, it could be before voters next year.
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