Rockwall's police officers association is pushing back against the proposed 2026-2027 city budget, arguing it falls short on public safety pay and staffing even as the city grows.

The Rockwall Police Officers Association (RPOA) released a prepared statement challenging the spending plan, the Rockwall County Herald-Banner reported. The association said the proposed budget does not include a new compensation increase for public safety employees and that inflation will reduce officers' purchasing power by an average of 3.4% during the 2026-2027 budget year.

Mayor Tim McCallum defended the proposal as a balanced budget with no tax increase. He said the plan includes 5% step increases for police officers and a 5% top-out payment for officers at the highest pay step. Civilian employees would receive 4% increases under a similar structure.

"The city manager proposed a balanced budget with no tax increase," McCallum told the Herald-Banner. "And that included their (first responders) 5% step increases, which they do not consider a raise."

The RPOA countered that those step increases are part of the city's existing compensation structure, not new raises added in this budget.

McCallum pointed to tight revenue.

Projected growth for the budget year is just under 2.5%, he said.

Staffing requests denied

The dispute extends beyond pay. The RPOA said the police department requested two additional patrol officers and two detectives, but those positions were not included in City Manager Mary Smith's proposed budget.

The association cited figures showing Rockwall's population grew 18.5% from 2021 to 2025, while calls for service jumped 52.9% and on-view arrest case filings rose 383%. Those figures came from the RPOA and were not independently verified.

McCallum said he is still reviewing the staffing and other requests raised by the association.

The RPOA also flagged staffing at the city's communications center, which dispatches for the Rockwall Police Department, Rockwall Fire Department and Heath Department of Public Safety. The center has 11 telecommunicators, three supervisors and one manager. The department requested one additional telecommunicator, according to the association.

The RPOA said 9-1-1 calls have increased 88% since 2015. Those figures were also provided by the association and not independently verified.

Budget vote fails

McCallum made a motion to approve the proposed budget. It failed 4-3. The council then voted to advertise a tax rate at the voter-approved rate. McCallum said the advertised rate is not the final tax rate.

The proposed budget does include public safety capital spending. McCallum cited a replacement for Fire Station No. 1, which he said is over 50 years old. The city has acquired land for the replacement, which would be funded through general fund reserves. The budget also includes seven new police vehicles.

Smith is scheduled to bring additional proposals to the council before a special budget meeting Sept. 28. McCallum said he has invited the RPOA to meet with him to discuss its concerns.

The RPOA said its members plan to attend the meeting and encouraged residents to do the same.