City of San Antonio says it's inked a tentative deal with police union

San Antonio and its powerful police union have reached a tentative bargaining agreement that includes a $102. [SA Current]

San Antonio's police union and city government reached a preliminary accord Friday on a three-year employment contract that would direct roughly $102.2 million toward officer compensation increases while preserving the city's ability to maintain essential services.

The tentative pact, which representatives from both sides negotiated since late January, includes a cumulative 16.5% raise in base salary for San Antonio Police Department officers. City Manager Erik Walsh said the arrangement positions the department competitively within Texas, aiming to rank among the top three cities statewide in total police compensation packages. Walsh noted the timing allows city officials to factor the contract's financial obligations into budget planning for the 2027 fiscal year. "Our goal was to keep San Antonio among the top three Texas cities in total police compensation, and this agreement accomplishes that," Walsh stated in a Friday release.

The compensation structure varies by rank and tenure. Under current terms, entry-level officers earn $65,436, while the deal would raise starting pay to $68,053 beginning Oct. 1, 2026. That figure would climb to $76,959 for recruits hired in April 2029. A captain earning $139,152 in the existing pay scale would see compensation rise to $144,693 initially, then to $163,629 under the final agreement term.

Before the contract becomes official, both the San Antonio Police Officers Association membership and the city council must vote their approval. Friday's announcement follows ten rounds of negotiations between city and union representatives. The agreement also addresses health insurance provisions and work schedules, matters the parties had resolved before announcing the wage framework.

The tentative accord emerged about two weeks after Police Chief William McManus moved up his retirement departure by three months to early July, a move some observers linked to accelerated bargaining momentum. The union recently elected new leadership following the May retirement of former President Danny Diaz, with Johnny Perez assuming the role.

Police accountability advocates raised concerns about the agreement's focus on compensation without addressing governance reforms. Ananda Tomas, executive director of Act 4 SA, expressed surprise at the announcement and questioned the timing given San Antonio faces a $158 million budget shortfall. Tomas noted her organization had requested provisions including overtime caps, public access to disciplinary records, an independent civilian review board, and modifications to contract renewal terms, none of which the city's statement indicated were included in the framework.