Judge Snell Champions Pay Raises, Safety Enhancements, and New Resources for Sheriff’s Deputies
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2026
Contact: press@TexansForSnell.com
Williamson County Judge Steve Snell Champions Comprehensive Pay Raises, Safety Enhancements, and New Resources for Sheriff’s Deputies
GEORGETOWN, TX – Williamson County Judge Steve Snell recently championed significant improvements to law enforcement deputy safety and cutting edge equipment to help equip the Sheriff's office with the best safety equipment available and improve response time.
During last year’s budget process, in a strong show of support to law enforcement, Williamson County approved an 8.38% average pay increase for deputies as part of the newly adopted $702 million Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget. This was part of a commitment to help attract and retain top law enforcement talent. The comprehensive compensation package includes a salary study-based adjustment for law enforcement at a cost of $4.86 million, alongside 2% to 2.5% step increases on pay charts.
“Our Sheriff's deputies put their lives on the line every single day to keep our residents safe, and it’s our fundamental duty to ensure they have the support, resources, and compensation they deserve,” said Judge Snell. “By keeping salaries competitive and investing in critical safety measures and specialized rescue teams, we are sending a clear message: Williamson County stands behind the men and women who protect us, and we are committed to not only recruiting and retaining the very best, but also making sure they have the tools they need to protect the citizens of our county.”
Judge Snell worked closely with Sheriff Matt Lindemann to support several critical policy changes and equipment upgrades at the June 30 meeting of the Commissioners Court to further support the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office in the field.
Key approvals championed by Judge Snell included:
● Take-Home Vehicles (Agenda Item 38): A crucial policy change which allows deputies to take home vehicles within a 25-mile range of the county line, ensuring faster response times and providing an added benefit for officers.
● Ballistic Windshields (Agenda Item 39): A major step in protecting officers' lives by requiring ballistic windshields as part of the standard upfitting for Sheriff's Office Patrol, Constable Office Patrol, EMS ambulances, command SUVs, and law enforcement credentialed Fire Marshal vehicles.
● Unmanned Aircraft Systems / Drones (Agenda Item 47): Adding drones to the department’s resources by officially including the Drone Special Team and operations costs in the Sheriff's Office General Fund for the 2026-2027 budget and future years.
● Dive Recovery & Swiftwater Rescue (Agenda Item 48): Equipping the department for severe weather emergencies by incorporating the Dive Recovery and Swiftwater Rescue Special Teams into the Sheriff's Office ongoing budget.
Together, these measures will ensure that our deputies have the financial support they deserve and the advanced tools they need to stay safe while performing their duties and protecting residents. By offering competitive compensation as well as providing advanced operational resources, Williamson County remains committed to supporting its first responders.
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