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Police present flat FY26 budget; chiefs warn of roughly $6.6M overtime shortfall and staffing gaps
Summary
Chief CJ Davis told Memphis City Council’s budget committee that the Memphis Police Department projects roughly a $6.6 million overtime shortfall for FY25 and described vacancy, recruiting and special-event pressures. The department proposes a flat $300.6 million general-fund budget for FY26 while flagging personnel- and grant-related drivers.
Chief CJ Davis, chief of the Memphis Police Department, told the City Council budget committee on May 12 that the department expects a year‑end shortfall driven mainly by overtime and incentive pay and presented a flat FY26 general‑fund request of $300.6 million.
“We do project to be somewhere around $6,600,000 over budget because of overtime,” Chief CJ Davis said when summarizing the department’s forecast and drivers.
Why it matters: The police budget is the largest single division in the city general fund. The committee’s scrutiny focused on recruiting, vacant positions that are reserved for recruit classes and communications dispatchers, and outside contracts and recoveries that affect the operating picture.
Budget highlights presented by Vincent Eason, MPD finance manager: the FY26 proposed general-fund total is $300,600,000 — shown as flat with FY25 adopted — with 89.7% of that total for personnel…
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