Patrick Von Dohlen supports a pay raise for Bexar County deputies and says resolving their contract would be a first priority as County Judge. In a Facebook update, he connects competitive compensation with retaining experienced deputies, addressing staffing shortages, and putting public safety first in the county budget.
A call to resolve the contract
Patrick’s post points to September 1 remarks before Commissioners Court by representatives of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of Bexar County (DSABC) and the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT). The accompanying DSABC post describes more than 600 days of negotiations, a proposed 0% pay increase, and an impasse requiring mediation.
Patrick argues that Bexar County deputies deserve compensation competitive with surrounding agencies and other large Texas counties. He says deputies have been working under an expired contract since September 2025 while other county employees received raises.
“Let me be clear about where I stand. I support a pay raise for Bexar County deputies.”
The staffing pressures described in the post
Patrick describes deputies staying beyond the end of their shifts because replacements are unavailable, experienced employees retiring, and recruits leaving for agencies that offer higher pay. His post says an average of 15 deputies remain after each shift and describes four recent retirements that together represented more than 100 years of experience.
He also criticizes delays in a staffing study approved by Commissioners Court in April 2023. According to his post, no consultant had been hired and no study completed more than 900 days later.
The campaign’s “By the Numbers” comparison
The graphic supplied with Patrick’s post highlights these figures:
- 600-plus days: the reported length of contract negotiations.
- $406 million: reported FY2025 county reserves, described as 53% of general fund spending.
- More than $20 million: reported FY2025 overtime and compensatory time.
- 15 deputies: the reported average staying beyond each shift because replacements are unavailable.
- 5% annually: the SAPD pay increase described for a three-year agreement, compared with the reported one-year, 0% BCSO offer.
- 900-plus days: the reported delay following approval of the staffing study.
These figures summarize the supplied campaign post and graphic; they have not been independently verified for this article. Reserve balances and annual spending measure different things: the graphic’s 53% comparison does not mean reserves exceed a full year’s spending.
Patrick’s commitments
Patrick lays out three priorities:
- Make the deputy contract a first priority. He says resolving the contract would be his first order of business at the first Commissioners Court meeting he chairs.
- Fund and complete the staffing study. He pledges to pursue completion in his first budget cycle, with deputies involved in setting its scope.
- Prioritize public safety in budgeting. He proposes results-oriented budgeting that puts public safety first.
These are campaign commitments to pursue through county government; contract and budget actions require the applicable county approval process.
“The men and women who keep Bexar County safe deserve a county government that shows up for them.”
Read more about Patrick’s public-safety and budgeting proposals in his Contract with the Residents of Bexar County.
Source: the supplied VotePatrick Facebook post, its “Bexar County Deputies: By the Numbers” graphic, and accompanying screenshots of DSABC’s post and remarks.