As baseball fans from around the world celebrated MLB All-Star Week in the entertainment district, members of the Arlington City Patrolmen’s Association took the opportunity to publicize their demands for city government.
The union posted a photo of an electronic billboard installed outside Globe Life Field, arguing that Arlington Police haven’t added patrol officers in 16 years and that the department’s starting salary is 15th highest in North Texas.
The post contrasts these allegations with new developments and increasingly high-profile events in the entertainment district, as well as Mayor Trey Yelverton’s recent salary increase.
“What will he and the Arlington City Council do for their employees?” one sign read.
AMPA President Chris Ceballos said the association has raised several issues, including pay, mass casualty incident preparedness and the need for more police at Arlington Municipal Airport, but has not received a response.
“The government works hard to attract businesses and gives them all kinds of subsidies and tax breaks, but they don’t work hard to attract executives and keep them here,” he said.
KERA News has reached out to a city spokesperson for comment.
Earlier this year, AMPA members urged the city for a ballot measure to establish a Crime Control Prevention District, citing the need for increased tourism in the city.
During his budget presentation, Yelverton said Arlington has the same number of police officers per capita as Fort Worth, even though Fort Worth levies a half-cent crime tax.
“We don’t have that, and our investment in the police department is comparable to what they’re doing on a per capita basis,” he said.
Yelverton told KERA in February that 22 of the 24 officers added through the federal COPS hiring program would be assigned to patrol. Ceballos said Tuesday afternoon that AMPA had been told the officers would not be transferred to other departments in January.
“We’re fortunate that the 22 that were deployed will remain on patrol, and we’re hopeful,” Ceballos said.
Ceballos said the truck was on the road Monday and Tuesday evening.
Have a tip? Email Kailey Broussard at kbroussard@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible by the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting useful, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. Thank you.