City & Police Officers Association Reach Tentative Contract Agreement

Published on July 17, 2026

SAN ANTONIO (July 17, 2026) – The City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Police Officers Association reached a tentative agreement today that achieves significant wage increases for police officers while continuing to meet the needs and priorities of residents.

Under the proposed three-year agreement, officers would receive a cumulative base pay increase of 16.5 percent. The agreement would cost the City approximately $102.2 million over three years.

The City and the Police Officers Association have met 10 times since negotiations began on January 30.

“This agreement delivers meaningful pay increases and strong health benefits for our police officers while balancing the City’s long-term fiscal health and our ability to fund the mandated services residents depend on,” City Manager Erik Walsh said. “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. 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.”

Prior to the contract negotiations, an independent study of Texas’ largest cities showed that San Antonio Police Department compensation was already competitive, considering total pay and benefits. When total compensation – including healthcare, pension, and retiree benefits – is considered, San Antonio continues to rank in the top three among large Texas cities at all career stages analyzed.

In addition to increasing officers’ wages, the contract realigns patrol schedules to better match staffing with peak call demand. The new model will increase officer availability for proactive policing and provide more scheduling options, supporting work-life balance, job satisfaction and retention. Overall, the change will help the department operate more efficiently, effectively and responsibly while better serving San Antonio residents.

Before the tentative agreement is finalized, union membership must ratify the terms. Once ratified, the agreement will go to City Council for final approval.