DALLAS — Dallas HERO, the group behind a city charter amendment requiring the city to hire more police officers and boost spending on public safety, says the city's newly-passed $5.2 billion budget violates the city charter and it plans to "hold city officials accountable."

The Dallas City Council passed its fiscal year 2025-2026 budget early Thursday. The 2025-2026 budget increases starting pay for police officers to more than $81,232 from $75,397 and sets a goal of hiring 350 new officers to end FY 2025-26 with 3,424 officers.

Dallas officials have said the new police starting pay puts the city among the top three among peer cities in North Texas "when non-pension benefits...are considered," according to a Sept. 5 memo .

"You will notice that based on starting pay only, Dallas’

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