Houston, HPD and police union announce 5-year contract with 36.5% total raises

Mayor John Whitmire announced at a City of Houston news conference that the city, the Houston Police Department and the Houston Police Officers Union (HPOU) have reached a five-year collective bargaining agreement that raises pay for rank-and-file officers by a total of 36.5% over five years.

The agreement, Whitmire said, includes a 10% across-the-board increase in the first year, followed by 8% in 2026, 6% in 2027, 6% in 2028 and 6.5% in the fifth year. Whitmire described the package as intended to improve recruitment and retention and to show appreciation for officers who "go to work each and every day and have been underpaid and underappreciated by the city of Houston for many, many years."

The contract, Whitmire said, will be reflected in the fiscal year 2026 proposed budget, which city finance leaders plan to release next Tuesday. Melissa (finance official) told reporters the FY26 proposed budget will "lay it all out in detail" and that the city plans to quantify the…