SAN ANTONIO – A tentative deal has been reached between the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Officers Association, according to a city news release.
The city and the police union most recently met to negotiate a contract Thursday.
Recommended Videos
In the release, City Manager Erik Walsh lauded the “meaningful pay increases” and “strong health benefits” for officers in the agreement that also keeps the “City’s long-term fiscal health” and its ability to fund “mandated services” in mind.
“Our goal was to keep San Antonio among the top three Texas cities in total police compensation, and this agreement accomplishes that. Reaching an agreement before the FY 2027 budget is proposed also gives us a clear understanding of the costs as we prepare for next year,” Walsh said in the release. “I deeply value the work our police officers do every day to keep San Antonio safe, and I appreciate Deputy City Manager María Villagómez and the entire City negotiating team for their hard work throughout this process.”
The tentative agreement would cost the city approximately $102.2 million over the three years of the contract, according to the city.
In a statement to KSAT, SAPOA President Johnny Perez believes the tentative agreement represents a “fair compromise for both sides.”
“Every conversation at that negotiation table was rooted in one goal: to ensure our officers receive the fair pay and benefits they’ve earned for selflessly protecting our city,” Perez said.
If SAPOA members approve the contract, San Antonio city council members would then need its own stamp of approval in order for it to become official.
“This isn’t the finish line, it’s just the beginning,” Perez said. “We’re looking forward to presenting this to our members to formally ratify the agreement.”
What’s in the tentative deal
A rookie San Antonio police officer is making $65,436 under the current deal.
According to the terms of the tentative agreement, which could go into effect Oct. 1, 2026, a new officer would have a starting salary of $68,053. If SAPD hires a rookie officer on April 1, 2029, per terms of the tentative deal, that officer would have a starting salary of $76,959.
A San Antonio police captain, who is making $139,152 under the Step C designation of the current deal, would see their salary jump to $144,693 if the new deal is approved before Oct. 1.
The proposed pay of that same San Antonio police captain would rise to $163,629 on April 1, 2029.
A SAPOA spokesperson said the union is now tasked with educating its 2,600 members on the contract and answer any questions officers may have.
That process could take anywhere between two and three weeks before union members vote on the deal, the spokesperson said.
Background
The city and union began negotiating a new contract in late January and had settled a number of other matters in the contract before Friday’s announcement, such as hours of work.
Pay had also been a sticking point in the most recent negotiations. Back in April, the union paused the talks because of a previous city offer the union’s former president described as a “slap in the face.”
The city, which is heading into a tough budget year that could involve cuts and possibly a property tax increase, hoped to negotiate a deal before they present a draft budget to the council on Aug. 13.
The previous agreement was set to end Sept. 30. If the new tentative deal is not approved by Sept. 30, an evergreen clause would keep the previous agreement’s terms in place for up to eight years.
More related coverage of this story on KSAT: