Most Harris County commissioners supported a motion this week to advance pay raises for the county’s eight elected constables.

The proposal could significantly boost their salaries from $178,000 per year to more than $290,000 — a figure that’s at least 37% higher than the salary of Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also is an elected official.

Proponents of boosted wages for county law enforcement agencies say they are necessary to retain qualified officers and meet pay parity with the Houston Police Department — which pays its highest-ranking officer, Chief Noe Diaz, more than $320,000, according to the Houston Chronicle . Discussions about increased wages for constables come a few months after commissioners approved pay raises for constable’s and sheriff’s office deputies.

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