House to prioritize $45 million for police pay raises in next budget.

Rep. Ángel Peña Ramírez

By THE STAR STAFF

The island House of Representatives will prioritize the approval of a $45 million allocation in the government budget for 2026-2027 aimed at providing the first wage increase in more than a decade to members of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau.

The announcement was made late last week by House Speaker Carlos “Johnny” Méndez Nuñez.

House Vice President Ángel Peña Ramírez and House Public Safety Committee Chairman Félix Pacheco Burgos endorsed the legislative leader’s position on the matter.

“The members of the Puerto Rico Police have an unwavering ally in the House of Representatives, and we will deliver on our promise by identifying and securing the approval of a $45 million allocation, announced yesterday by Gov. Jenniffer González, to make this salary increase a reality; justice for all the men and women who wear the blue uniform of the Police with great honor and sacrifice,” Méndez said last Friday.

Peña added that in the fiscal year 2027 budget to be presented to the Legislative Assembly, “the governor identified an allocation of $28 million for the implementation of the new salary scales.”

“An additional $17 million is also planned to be included to implement the applicable compensation guidelines, for a total of $46 million,” he said. “We are working with the speaker to ensure that these allocations are included in the budget that takes effect on July 1.”

Pacheco, who, in addition to being a lawmaker is a member of the police force, noted that the governor “has finally done justice for the police after more than a decade, and our speaker of the House, a friend of the police, will also do justice for them, together with us in the Safety Committee.”

“The increase will be identified in the budget and will become a reality for the benefit of our law enforcement officers,” he said.

Among the changes proposed by the governor are adjustments to the compensation of a cadet, who previously started with a base salary of $1,818 and could now receive up to $2,296. When they are promoted to the rank of agent, whose starting salary was $2,860, it could reach up to $4,516.

In the case of sergeants, meanwhile, the base salary increases from $3,166.00 to a range between $3,974.12 and $4,967.66. Meanwhile, among other pay hikes, second lieutenants will receive a salary increase from $3,685 to as much as $5,464.