At a time when police departments across the country have faced funding cuts and downsizing, The University of Texas at Austin has made a significant financial investment in its police department that will boost salaries to be among the most competitive in the region. The additional funding represents a major investment in the long-term strength and stability of the University of Texas Police Department.
The University has increased the UT Police Department’s budget by $7 million annually in a strong show of support for the men and women who keep the campus safe. The investment increases pay for the department’s officers, dispatchers and professional staff.
“This investment sends a clear message from the University’s leadership to every member of our department that you are wanted on this campus, and the work you do is valued, supported and excellent,” said UT Police Chief Shane Streepy. “I cannot thank President Davis enough for his continued support of our department and for prioritizing the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and visitors across our campus.”
By raising compensation across the department, UT is putting additional resources behind its commitment to maintaining a highly trained, engaged and effective police force while competing for law enforcement professionals in an increasingly challenging recruiting environment.
“Protecting Longhorns is our highest priority,” said President Jim Davis. “The police officers, dispatchers and professional staff at the UT Police Department protect one of the largest and most vibrant urban campus environments in the country. Investing in them is a key part of building and sustaining a best-in-class safety operation, and we owe this to the people who keep Longhorns safe. I am grateful for Chief Streepy’s leadership and his entire team’s dedicated service.”
UT’s campus community is composed of 55,000 students, 20,000 employees and an increasing number of patients and visitors. Combined with the new UT Dell Medical System, the University’s research enterprise, and the country’s top Athletics department, UT is one of the largest and most complex urban campus environments in the country.
The investment in salaries follows major investments in safety enhancements in recent years by the UT System Board of Regents, much of it centered in the West Campus Neighborhood. Under the direction of Chairman of the Board of Regents Kevin Eltife, enhancements have included increased patrols, enhanced lighting, security cameras and the establishment of UT’s West Campus Ambassadors program — a specialized safety, cleaning and hospitality team that works in collaboration with business and community leaders who are dedicated to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.
Accompanying the new financial investment is a shift in how UTPD will award pay raises. Bucking the longtime status quo across law enforcement that awards increased pay for longevity, Streepy has instituted a performance-based model for leadership positions.
The new structure increases officer and dispatcher starting pay by 24% and 30%, respectively, and raises the pay ceiling throughout the ranks. It also simplifies pay progression for all officers and ties pay raises for sergeants, lieutenants and captains to leadership performance benchmarks instead of years served. Together, the changes are intended to enhance UTPD’s recruitment, increase retention, cultivate leaders, and ensure long-term continuity in a complex operating environment.
Streepy said the complexity of police work and distribution of responsibilities have historically been obstacles to changes in pay structure. In addition, a long-standing tradition of awarding seniority can often weaken culture. He said the way to achieve the highest standards is to recognize excellence.
“It’s not enough for us to patrol and be police officers in the traditional sense,” he said. “It’s also important that we are trusted as proactive partners and problem solvers, whether it’s for a student who locks their keys in their car or a visitor who needs directions to a building. The new structure allows us to say, ‘thank you’ for a job consistently well done and creates opportunities to reward employees who distinguish themselves as leaders, regardless of rank or years of service.”
UTPD has a sworn force of 104 law enforcement officers who patrol the main campus as well as academic and research operations across Texas that extend from the Gulf Coast to the Davis Mountains, such as the Dell Advanced Research Campus (formerly the J.J. Pickle Research Campus). Last year, UTPD added a dedicated West Campus Patrol District with full-time patrols from Guadalupe Street to Lamar Boulevard between MLK Jr. Boulevard and 29th Street, where more than 20,000 UT students live in a densely populated University neighborhood. This was one of Streepy’s highest priorities when he was appointed chief of police in Fall 2024.
