City of Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI (News Release) – The Corpus City Council approved a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the city and the Corpus Christi Police Officers Association (CCPOA).

The CBA is a contract between the City of Corpus Christi and the CCPOA that governs wages, hours, and working conditions for police officers.

Representatives from both sides have been meeting since May 4 and reached an agreement in 34 days, a record for the City. The four-year agreement was ratified by a 95% majority vote of the CCPOA membership.

The CBA focused on wages, including a Cost-of-Living Adjustment over the four-year contract for all police officers as follows:

• Year 1: 8% effective Oct. 1, 2023

• Year 2: 3% effective April 1, 2025

• Year 3: 3% effective April 1, 2026

• Year 4: 4% effective April 1, 2027

The City conducted a market rate study for police officer pay in the top seven cities in Texas by population. The contract brings police officers’ pay in line with the market rate average.

The CBA also includes a one-time stipend in the amount of $2,000 per officer on October 1 in Year 2 of the agreement, along with an increase for non-voluntary overtime events.

The total value of the CBA is $29.3 Million over four years.

“The safety of our city is a top priority for me and this council,” Mayor Paulette Guajardo said. “This agreement allows us to maintain that safety and provide for the officers who protect us.”

“We care deeply about our police officers and wanted to come up with a plan for just and fair compensation,” City Manager Peter Zanoni said. “In the last four years, we have significantly increased police officer staffing and funding for the Police Department outside of this work contract, further demonstrating our commitment to public safety.” This contract will provide competitive pay and benefits, ensuring our community has the best police protection.

“I appreciate the cooperation we have with the City,” CCPOA President R. Scott Leeton said. “We recognize that finances are finite, and we are continuously looking for ways to make things better, which allow us to recruit and retain the very best police officers,”

The new contract will take effect on October 1.