CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Portland Police Department said it is now offering the highest starting pay of any law enforcement department in our region.
The move was approved by city management this week.
This, as more and more local police departments try to attract new officer applicants to fill open positions.
Here's the break down of what Portland Police is now offering.
We're talking a starting salary of $64,500 dollars, a sign on bonus of $5,000 and a $2,000 dollar moving allowance.
Police Chief Mark Cory said the package being offered will boost efforts to bring in top tier applicants.
"That package will put the Portland PD at the highest starting pay of any department in our region," said Chief Cory.
He said most departments in the area offer an average salary is the low $50,000 range.
He said by increasing the starting salary and added benefits for his department, it helps make a good sales pitch.
"Our officers work 12 hour shifts. They have every other weekend is a three day weekend that Friday, Saturday, Sunday off. So you put that whole package together and you know, you come to Portland PD, take a look and I guarantee you're gonna like what you see," he said.
The department is made up of 40 officers but there are five positions that need to be filled.
The department is among many across the nation and right here at home competing to fill positions.
The Corpus Christi Police Department is budgeted for 501 officers. Currently they have 460.
"We do have an academy class of 25 plus. So we're looking forward to their graduation in February of 2025," said senior officer Imelda Rjasko.
Rjasko is the recruiter for CCPD. She said officers will see a pay increase in April.
"So currently we are at monthly $4,484 which translates into to $25.86 per hour as a cadet. Day of graduation, which is 8.5 months later, your base pay then jumps to $30.06 an hour. That's only base that doesn't include all of the other incentive pay on top of that," she said.
She said part of what they do to attract new applicants is utilize social media to attend career fairs across the state, stressing that the department offers a variety of positions.
"I'm a full time recruiter, then you have patrol division, offers bicycle, motorcycles, DWIs, move forward to our investigations department, auto theft taskforce, financial, narcotics, gang investigations."
For more information, CCPD has listed everything you need to know on their website.
Meantime, Portland's Police Chief Mark Cory said if you are interested in applying for their department, you can go to their website for the application process or call the Chief directly at (361) 777-4701.