Maplewood, Missouri — During a May 8 work session, the Maplewood City Council and police department staff reviewed the police department’s capital and operating budgets, addressing rising installation costs for new patrol vehicles, a reduction in leased TASER units, radio-lease expenses, and the department’s use of asset-forfeiture funds for defensive-tactics protective gear.

Police staff told council members that the cost to “uplift” patrol vehicles — installing lights, sirens and on-board computer equipment — has increased substantially and is expected to rise further because a long-time local installer may retire. “Everything we've looked at is going to double,” a police staff member said, explaining the risk of higher future installation costs.

TASERs, radios and equipment
Police staff also said the department plans to cut its TASER lease from 30 units to 15, noting that deployments are infrequent. “We feel that 15 TASERs will be sufficient for our agency,” a police staff member said, adding that officers will retain access to the devices on every shift but will no longer take them home.

The department is nearing a 10-year lease for Motorola radios and described limited supplier alternatives. Staff said the municipal agreement with the regional emergency operations center makes Motorola the prevailing option and that radios are a long-term, costly expense.

Defensive-tactics gear and funding
Council members asked about a protective “red man” training suit for defensive-tactics instructors. Staff said the training-safety equipment protects instructors during ground-technique instruction and noted the purchase is being funded from asset-forfeiture funds tied to a past federal task-force assignment.

Cameras, software and social-security line questions
Council members also asked where Flock automated-license-plate-reader (ALPR) camera costs are budgeted; staff pointed to professional services lines. A separate question about a spike in Social Security expense drew a staff response that payroll-step increases for several newer officers and normal system calculations may explain the rise; staff said they would double-check the figure.

Training and regional facilities
The council asked whether the department’s current shooting simulator remains in Webster; staff confirmed it is, and that Saint Louis County’s planned new training facility may offer future opportunities. Staff also said the department uses an outdoor range in West County and may partner with the O’Fallon Police Department’s new firing range for training needs.

Next steps
Police budget items and capital requests will be reflected in draft 2 of the city budget, which staff said they plan to deliver in the packet for next Tuesday’s work session.