Dallas will pay an estimated $1.8 million for police officers to provide security at the midterm Republican convention in September, city leaders were told Monday.
Large conventions, not to mention ones that feature the president, generally require a police presence that can drive up overtime pay costs for the city, which is facing an overall $30 million budget shortfall.
Kevin Oden, director of the Office of Emergency Management and Crisis Response, told the city council’s finance committee the Department of Transportation and Public Works is expected to spend $14,000 for the event. There’s no cost estimate yet for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
“Our focus between now and Sept. 9 is to continue doing that planning work everyday, make sure the city is prepared, whittle down our costs to get exactly what we know this thing’s going to be and then seek reimbursement or grant opportunities,” Oden said.
Cost estimates are changing by the day as planning continues, Oden said.
The estimate comes as overtime pay for Dallas police is projected to hit $2.7 million over budget for fiscal year 2026.
Dallas police work to secure events whether they get reimbursed or not. For example, the city does get regular and overtime pay reimbursement for security when leaders of Congress are in town. That's not historically been the case for people protected by the Secret Service, Assistant Chief Mark Villarreal said during a city council briefing earlier this month.
"As far as Secret Service protectees, never in the history have we ever received any type of reimbursement from the Secret Service," Villarreal said.
At Monday's meeting, City Council member Chad West raised concerns with the costs related to the upcoming event.
“I very much think we need to welcome this convention to the city just like we do all conventions,” West said. “But I do have real concerns on nonpayment given what has happened across the country for similar events.”
The convention will take place at American Airlines Center on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10 — just a few months before midterm elections. Republicans hope to rally voters as they fight to hold onto their slim majority in Congress.
But they face challenges.
President Donald Trump’s approval rating is at 33%, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. That will likely affect Trump’s ability to get votes for Republican Congress members during the Nov. 3 elections.
The President’s party also historically loses seats in Congress during the midterms.
Dylan Duke is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Dylan at dduke@kera.org.
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