By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Del Rioan Linda Guanajuato-Webb is calling on the Del Rio City Council to “do what is right
and necessary” and raise police pay to combat a chronic officer shortage.
Guanajuato-Webb addressed the city council during its first regular meeting of the year Tuesday.
Guanajuato-Webb is an elected member of the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent
School District Board of Trustees, and the widow of Steve Webb, who served on the city
council after retiring from the Del Rio Police Department.
Guanajuato-Webb told the council, “August 28, 2024, the Del Rio Police (Officers) Association,
represented by CLEAT (Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas), actively negotiated
with the city for a significant pay increase, being as that the department was 14 officers short and
the lowest paid in the area, $39,078 (in starting salary).”
She then read salaries for police departments from around the region: Uvalde Police Department,
$51,891; Eagle Pass Police Department, $40,198; and Hondo Police Department, $54,808.
Guanajuato-Webb said, “The (2024) negotiation was for a 22 percent increase over two years, 18
percent and 8 percent aimed at recruitment, retention and pay. To date, 20 officers short, and still
at $39,078 (starting salary), with starting cadet salary at $35,408.”
She also listed the starting cadet salary for other departments in the region: Uvalde, $52,753; and
Eagle Pass, $52,436.
Guanajuato-Webb added, “As a past member of the Del Rio Police Advisory Board and a
concerned citizen, I ask council to look at the upcoming budget and (ask that) priority be given to
police officer salary increases as (negotiated) by the (police officers) association.
“In Texas, the average salary for police officers is $70,628 (per year), with the low being
$51,471. Officers put their lives in danger daily protecting the citizens of this community. While
we were celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas, they were out on the streets patrolling.
“Let’s do what is right and necessary and look at increasing our officers’ salaries. Thank you for
your attention,” Guanajuato-Webb finished.
Council members are not able to speak to statements made during the Citizen Comments portion
of the meeting, and after Guanajuato-Webb finished, the council went on to the next item on its
agenda.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
