DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) – Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax will ask the city council on Wednesday for the authority to pay the city’s new police chief whatever he feels that person deserves.
Mayor Mike Rawlings told WFAA TV that money shouldn’t be an issue.
“This is too important for the safety for the citizens of Dallas to say we can’t pay more. That’s a bad reason not to hire somebody,” he said.
The most Broadnax can offer the next chief is $213,000 a year, which is $5,000 more than former Chief David Brown made.
The six-figure salary is still higher than Fort Worth and San Antonio’s chiefs but well under what Houston’s top cop makes.
Sergeant Sheldon Smith is with the Black Police Association of Greater Dallas. He told WFAA TV that he agrees with Broadnax but said there are other factors that need to be considered.
“Just as the city manager recognizes that its going to take money to maintain a good chief. He also has to recognize that it’s going to take money to maintain good officers on the department,” said Smith.
Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata said he agrees with Smith.
“Well how about the rank and file that have been doing more with less for the last five years,” he said.
Dallas plans to hire a new chief next month.
