Former Redlands deputy police chief received $1.26 million in 2025 compensation

State compensation data show a former Redlands deputy police chief received the highest total pay among California public employees in 2025. The employee collected $1.2 million in wages, including $890,467 in other pay and $231,099 in accrued sick and vacation pay, plus an $81,804 regular salary.

The city contributed an additional $55,864 for retirement and health benefits, bringing the final amount to about $1.26 million. By comparison, the combined compensation of the mayors of Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego totaled roughly $1.2 million, including benefits.

Background on state salary tracking The state controller’s office began publishing city-level compensation data in 2010 after reports of high salaries in the city of Bell. The agency now collects pay information for more than 2 million workers across more than 5,000 public agencies.

The data do not name individual employees. A nonprofit database identified the Redlands worker as Travis Martinez. City records show Martinez retired last April under an $871,956 settlement tied to a whistleblower claim. A police department spokesperson could not be reached for comment.