By PAM EASTON
Associated Press Writer
HOUSTON (AP) - A majority of the Houston City Council on Tuesday denounced a last-minute pay
raise and pension hike approved by Mayor Lee Brown for the city's retiring police chief, but learned
there is little they can do about it.
On Aug. 30 Brown approved a 10 percent raise effective for Police Chief Clarence Bradford's last 31
days at work, giving him an extra $1,054 and bringing his annual salary to $154,024. Of interest to
some council members, the move also increased his pension by about $9,000 a year to $95,630.
The mayor then embarked on a trip to Africa, and said from Namibia last week that Bradford deserved
the raise.
"I wouldn't have a problem with the chief having a pay raise. It's just so offensive to me that it was done
this way," council member Carroll Robinson said.
Bradford, who was appointed in 1996 by Houston Mayor Bob Lanier, retired as retesting continued in
hundreds of DNA cases first analyzed by the department's troubled DNA section. An outside audit
revealed a lack of training of the lab's employees, insufficient documentation and possible
contamination of DNA samples.
Twelve of the 14 council members attended a special meeting Tuesday to address the pay and
pension raise, but City Attorney Anthony Hall said salaries for all city employees, including Bradford,
are governed by a city ordinance. The council would have to give proper public notice of its intent to
lower the raise by amending the ordinance.
The pension is governed by the police union. Even if the council amends the ordinance to slash the
pay raise, the pension is based on the highest paycheck Bradford received before retirement.
"It is our opinion at this point even the mayor could not take back that pay raise," Hall said.
