Missouri City's new police officers will receive a $15,000 signing bonus after the City Council voted Monday, Oct. 5, to boost the incentive by 50%.
The bonus had been $10,000 since the council first approved a hiring incentive in 2024, as first reported by Community Impact. The increase comes as the Missouri City Police Department works to fill persistent vacancies the department has faced for years.
Police Chief Troy R. Finner told the council the department has 12 open positions. That marks an improvement. Finner said 2026 is on track for the lowest peak-vacancy count in three years, with 17 positions unfilled at the high point. The department did not specify its total authorized strength.
The staffing shortage is not unique to Missouri City. Agencies across the country have struggled to recruit and retain officers, according to agenda documents cited in the Community Impact report. A Police Executive Research Forum study, also cited in that report, found that from 2019 to 2022 law enforcement nationwide saw 50% more resignations, a 20% increase in retirements and a 5% drop in sworn officers.
Missouri City has taken several steps beyond the bonus to stay competitive. In September 2024, the council approved a three-year Meet and Confer agreement with the Police Officers Association that includes 6% annual pay raises. That agreement runs through Sept. 30, 2027.
Assistant Police Chief Jazton Heard said in a December 2025 Community Impact report that before the salary increase, "Missouri City experienced the loss of several officers to other agencies offering more competitive compensation, including school district police departments."
The council took additional steps in August. On Aug. 17, members unanimously approved spending up to $50,000 on a compensation study for police and fire civil service positions through Logic Compensation Group, according to council records. At the same meeting, the council approved applying for a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) microgrant focused on recruitment, hiring and retention.
The individual vote tally on the Oct. 5 bonus increase was not available in published records as of Oct. 12. The compensation study and federal grant application signal the city intends to keep adjusting pay and benefits as regional competition for officers continues.
