League City police are recruiting experienced officers through a lateral hiring program while neighboring departments raise signing bonuses to fill vacancies.
The department told ABC13 Houston it has no new incentives in the works but implemented the lateral program last year. A department official said pay is competitive with agencies of comparable size in the region. The department has openings and is reviewing several applicants after its most recent entrance exam, the official said.
That exam took place Aug. 22, 2026, at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center. Results posted on the city's website show 44 candidates ranked on the eligibility list.
The department lists 133 total sworn officers on its website, though the year that figure reflects is not specified. Officers handled 34,397 calls for service and worked 2,040 traffic accidents in 2023, according to the same page.
On a department Facebook page, League City police advertised the lateral program with benefits including year-for-year pay credit for officers with three to seven years of experience, a sign-on bonus, relocation assistance and flexible scheduling. The post did not list a dollar amount for the bonus. The ABC13 report, citing an unnamed department official, said no new incentives are in the works. Whether the sign-on bonus listed in the lateral program post is a current offering was not clarified.
Regional competition for officers
The League City details surfaced in an Oct. 28 ABC13 report by Brianna Willis on police staffing across the Houston area. Missouri City is considering raising its signing bonus for new officers from $10,000 to $15,000, according to a city council ordinance that appears headed for a final vote Monday, Nov. 2. The ordinance states the Missouri City Police Department has 10 or more vacancies.
Galveston Police Chief Doug Balli told ABC13 a $6,000 signing bonus helped his department recover from a deep staffing gap. "We had 32 vacancies for a department of 168," Balli said.
How to apply
The department's careers page says registration for the last hiring exam is closed. Prospective applicants can fill out an employment interest form on the city's website to get updates on the next exam. The department said it is still reviewing applicants from the 44-candidate list.
