The 15 largest cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex all budgeted more money for police this year

DALLAS — The start of October isn’t just the start of fall. 

It’s also the start of a new fiscal year, when the cities and states across the country set their new annual budgets. 

Also pressing at the moment in the worlds of governments? November midterm elections that are fast-approaching — most notably the gubernatorial race between Gov. Greg Abbott and his Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. 

Budgets and government spending have been a particular talking point for the incumbent governor as the upcoming elections near, too. He’s been campaigning in support of law enforcement, and has accused his opponent of wanting to defund police right alongside Democratic leaders across the state.  

Thing is, city budgets are public. You can go to most any city’s website, peruse their entire budgets and see how they’re spending your taxes.

So, is the governor right? Are police budgets being cut?

If the 15 most populous cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex are any indicator, no — these budgets not being slashed. 

In fact, police budgets around the Metroplex are only going up in the coming fiscal year. 

And some are going up by quite a bit. 

So, let’s go through the list and see just how much more of the public’s money each of these cities — listed in descending order of population size — is planning to give their police departments this year. 

Police budget: $611.9 millionTotal increase: $46 millionPercentage increase: 8.1%Percentage of general funds: 35.9%

The most populous city in the Metroplex also, naturally, has the largest police budget. 

But this one is just a little tricky. While, yes, it’s true Dallas’ police budget did go up in terms of dollars, the police budget actually makes up a smaller piece of the overall general fund pie for this fiscal year. 

This coming year’s police budget in Dallas is about $611.9 million, or 35.9% of the overall general fund for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. This is an increase of $46 million over last year, when the police budget was about $565.9 million, or 36.9% of the general fund.

A presentation for the budget states that these additional funds would be used to hire 250 police officers and to offer additional incentives to retain more tenured officers who are close to retirement. The money would also go towards purchasing new tools like radios, tasers and squad cars, as well as the creation of a Night Detail Team which would police the city’s entertainment zones during their peak hours. 

“This budget puts public safety first, prioritizes tax relief, invests in our families and neighborhoods and strengthens our city staff’s ability to respond to homelessness, code issues and corruption,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wrote in a statement. 

Police budget: $289.5 millionTotal increase: $13 millionPercentage increase: 4.6%Percentage of general funds: 32.6%

The second-largest in the Metroplex is giving their police budget a 5.67% increase this year, according to their 2022-2023 budget. 

This year’s police budget includes funds to hire 53 additional officers for the department, along with 14 new civilian positions. The funding will also be used to support a neighborhood patrol program, a Homeless Outreach Program and Enforcement (HOPE) team and a crisis intervention team. 

“We are making investments in public safety that work for the community and also ensure that police have what they need to do their most difficult jobs,” Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in her State of the City address. “We ask police to be all things to all people all the time. These are solutions that are pro-community and pro-police.”

Police budget: $120.8 millionTotal increase: $14.4 millionPercentage increase: 8%Percentage of general funds: 41%

The City of Arlington’s annual budget is seeing an 8% funding increase this fiscal year, which is an increase of more than $14.4 million. 

Of the $294.5 million in general funds that the city has, about $120.8 million of that is allocated to the city’s police department. 

That’s more than 41% of the city’s general fund — more than any other city department in Arlington and double the second most-funded department (the Arlington Fire Department). 

Police budget: $47.45 millionTotal increase: $5.92 millionPercentage increase: 7.2%Percentage of general funds: 41%

Plano is seeing a 7.2% increase to its police budget, which comes in at $47.45 million for the new fiscal year.

This year’s increased budget includes funding for two additional police officers who will focus on mental health, a crime information specialist, a public safety officer supervisor, a digital media forensic supervisor and a victim advocate. The budget states the city will also be replacing the police department’s record management software.

Police budget: $67.44 millionTotal increase: $5.1 millionPercentage increase: 8.2%Percentage of general funds: 31.54%

Garland gave its police department an 8.2% increase to its budget this year — an amount that represents about $67.44 million of the city’s general fund. 

The budget states that this increase is to cover cost increases to the renewal of body cameras and taser cartridges, and to pay for ballistic shield protection, along with training software and services. 

Police budget: $78.04 millionTotal increase: $3.6 millionPercentage increase: 4.9%Percentage of general funds: 29.9%

Irving police will see a 4.9% increase to its budget this fiscal year, amounting to a total police budget of about $78.04 million. 

This new budget includes covering salary increases, as well as paying for a modular vehicles barrier and bus ramps. The budget shows the police department will also be buying a BEAR armored vehicle, although that will be covered by seized funds as opposed to tax dollars. 

Police budget: $56.26 millionTotal increase: $3.63 millionPercentage increase: 6.9%Percentage of general funds: 26%

Frisco’s police department, which represents about 26% of the city’s general fund, is seeing a budget increase from about $52.63 million to about $56.26 million. 

This increase, the budget states, is primarily for the addition of two new positions — a grants administrator to help obtain grant funding for positions and equipment in the department, and a quartermaster who will help with distributing equipment to officers. 

It’s worth noting that certain parts of Frisco’s police budget went down instead of up this year. While funding for community services, communications and radio operations decreased, detention funding went up, and the city’s patrol budget saw a $1.7 million increase to cover eight additional patrol officers and four new vehicles.

“The addition of these positions will allow the Department to keep staffing in line with city growth and staff new patrol districts that will provide the expected level of service to our citizens and keep response times low,” Frisco’s budget presentation states. 

Police budget: $47.45 millionTotal increase: $4.06 millionPercentage increase: 7.8%Percentage of general funds: 24.9%

McKinney is seeing a 7.8% increase to its police budget for this year for additional staffing and equipment. 

The total police budget for the new year is about $47.45 million. 

Police budget: $60.33 millionTotal increase: $3.19 millionPercentage increase: 5.6%Percentage of general funds: 30.2%

Grand Prairie’s budget presentation cited market adjustments for its increased police funding, along with the addition of four new criminal investigators. 

The total police budget for the next fiscal year is about $60.33 million, an increase of about $3.19 million over last fiscal year.

Police budget: $43.88 millionTotal increase: $3 millionPercentage increase: 7.3%Percentage of general funds: 24.1%

Denton police will see a new budget of about $43.88 million for the new fiscal year, which represents an increase of more than $3 million from last year. 

This budget includes five additional police officers, two jailers, a digital forensics investigator, and two public safety dispatchers. 

Police budget: $45.42 millionTotal increase: $1.5 millionPercentage increase: 3.4%Percentage of general funds: 29.2%

Mesquite issued about a $1.5 million increase to the police budget for the year, which now amounts to about $45.42 million. 

The largest increases for the police department included more than $886,000 for technical services, along with more than $644,000 for the criminal investigations division. The budget also sets nearly $200,000 aside for school resource officers. 

Police budget: $34.06 millionTotal increase: $1.27 millionPercentage increase: 3.89%Percentage of general funds: 26.9%

Carrollton approved a 3.89% increase to its police department, making the total budget for this year about $33.99 million. 

Public safety is the largest portion of Carrollton’s general fund, representing about 63.33% of the overall city coffers, but that bucket also includes the fire department, animal control and other departments along with police. 

The budget states police would be adding public safety officers and a mental health response program to its services this next fiscal year. 

Police budget: $35.83 millionTotal increase: $4.1 millionPercentage increase: 13.06%Percentage of general funds: 10.1%

Richardson will see a 13.06% increase for this fiscal year’s police budget, which amounts to almost $35.83 million in total.

This includes funding for three additional police officers to the patrol division. 

Police budget: $34 millionTotal increase: $3 millionPercentage increase: 9.7%Percentage of general funds: 28.3%

The Lewisville police budget for the new fiscal year is more than $34 million, which is nearly a $3 million increase from last year. 

This includes funding for two new police officers, a new patrol vehicle, an open records technician, SQAT equipment and funds to pay for drug testing. 

“The cost of drug testing has increased notably over the past few years,” the city’s budget presentation states. “Additional funding will be used to cover the costs associated with using private laboratories for drug testing.”

Police budget: $33 millionTotal increase: $3.15 millionPercentage increase: 8%Percentage of general funds: 27.8%

The Allen Police Department will see about an 8% increase for the new fiscal year, raising their budget to almost $33 million. 

This budget is expected to pay for three additional police officers, purchasing additional body cameras and enhancing the department’s SWAT capabilities.