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Police present expanded equipment and wellness requests; chief seeks vehicle leasing, body cameras, cellphone-extraction tool and wellness program
Summary
The police chief requested multiple capital and program items in the upcoming budget, including a 5‑year vehicle lease plan for six patrol cars, replacement body-worn cameras and radar units, upgrades to long‑gun platforms, two e-bikes for parks patrol, a Cellebrite phone-extraction subscription, and a one-year officer wellness pilot.
The Umatilla Police Department presented a list of equipment and program requests for the coming fiscal year, including fleet changes, personal protective equipment, technology, and a wellness pilot for officers.
Police leadership asked the committee to authorize a shift to five‑year vehicle leases for six patrol vehicles and one additional administrative vehicle. The department said leasing reduces upfront capital cost, keeps warranties current and will provide more predictable replacement timing; staff estimated the annual lease cost for the six vehicles at roughly $73,000.
Other requests included $5,000 for two modern ballistic shields to replace 15‑year‑old shields; $18,000 for ballistic helmets; and an upgrade of the long‑gun program to adopt a single, ambidextrous rifle platform so all officers will be equipped and qualified on a consistent weapon and accessories (chief requested 20 rifles to ensure parity). The department also asked to continue multi-year funding for a body-camera and integrated dash-camera system ($54,000/year as an ongoing allocation), and requested $18,500 for six new radar units.
Investigations and forensics items included a Cellebrite cellphone-extraction system (initial purchase about $26,000 with future subscription costs estimated at $15,000/year). The chief explained detectives currently travel to a neighboring jurisdiction for extractions, which increases staff time and logistical overhead.
Finally, the department requested a $20,000 pilot for officer wellness services—a mix of a mobile app, confidential counseling and clinical resources aimed at stress management, trauma and post‑incident care.
Councilors asked about priorities and asked staff to identify items that could be deferred if the proposed budget cannot fund everything. The chief and city manager said staff would provide a prioritized list and noted the proposed police department facility construction will be addressed separately depending on the outcome of a ballot measure. No final funding decisions were made at the meeting.
