The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo approving a 3.8% pay raise for certain law enforcement personnel in 2026, with the pay increase taking effect on Jan. 11.
OPM issued the memo on Dec. 31, after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Dec. 18 that finalized a 1% pay raise for civilian federal employees in 2026. The order instructed OPM “to assess whether to provide” a total increase of up to 3.8% for certain federal civilian law enforcement personnel.
Last week’s memo confirms the 3.8% pay raise, which is nearly quadruple the 1% federal pay raise for most civilian employees.
“These new special rates support ongoing agency hiring efforts for mission-critical law enforcement positions essential to implementing the administration’s priorities to secure the border, enforce federal laws, and protect public safety,” the memo says. “Without these special rates, agencies may face challenges in recruiting and retaining the personnel needed to carry out these missions effectively.”
According to OPM, the following law enforcement personnel will receive a 3.8% federal pay raise this year:
- Department of Agriculture:
- Law enforcement officers in the Office of Safety, Security, and Protection
- Forest Service law enforcement officers and criminal investigators
- Department of Justice:
- FBI special agents
- Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officers
- Drug Enforcement Administration special agents
- U.S. Marshals Service officers and special agents
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives special agents
- Department of Homeland Security:
- Customs and Border Protection law enforcement officers, including Border Patrol agents, officers, criminal investigators, and Air and Marine interdiction agents
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, including special agents, detention and deportation officers, and technical enforcement officers
- Secret Service personnel, including physical security specialists, investigative protection officers, technical security investigators, technicians, and special officers
- Federal Protective Service criminal investigators and officers
- Department of the Interior:
- Law enforcement officers
- U.S. Park Police
- Department of State:
- Criminal investigators in the Diplomatic Security Service
- Department of Energy:
- National Nuclear Security Administration couriers
OPM said agencies that are experiencing staffing challenges for law enforcement employees may submit special salary rate requests to OPM at any time. The agency said it “will consider requests for any similar law enforcement positions.”