Department of Public Safety
A Special Report on the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminalists' Compensation Levels
April 1996
Report Number 96-706
Overall Conclusion
Employees within Criminalist positions at the Texas Department of Public Safety (Department) are appropriately classified and there is not adequate justification to adjust the compensation levels by reallocating the class series or exempting the positions.
Key Facts And Findings
All Criminalist positions reviewed were appropriately classified.
No inappropriate reporting relationships were found.
Market salary data indicates the Criminalist series salary range is below the market entry-level rate by 1.8 percent and below the maximum salary rate for supervisory positions by 4.9 percent.
Criminalist salaries do not appear out of line when compared to selected exempt job series (Troopers, Game Wardens, and Conservation Scientists).
Low turnover for the Criminalist series, 5.08 percent for fiscal year 1995, does not indicate significant recruitment or retention problems when compared with the statewide turnover rate of 13.5 percent.
A salary administration problem may exist at the Department since merit increases have not been granted since February 1993. This leaves 56 percent of the Criminalists on Steps 1 and 2 of their assigned salary groups.
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