Police asks for 22 FTEs, drones and expanded real-time crime center in FY25-26 request

Police Chief Joel Leduc told the Budget Review Commission that the department’s FY25-26 budget request includes 22 additional full‑time equivalents, expanded civilian professional staff, and new technology investments intended to improve response and investigative efficiency.

Leduc described the department’s long-running strategy to substitute civilian professional staff for sworn officers in particular roles (police aides, civilian investigators and crisis intervention specialists) to reduce cost per position and focus sworn officers on front-line policing. The FY25-26 request includes a digital‑forensics detective, a civilian investigator for investigations/intelligence, four restored dispatch positions and three real‑time crime center (RTCC) operator positions plus an RTCC supervisor. Leduc said the RTCC speeds officer response by providing near‑real-time camera feeds and analysis.

The presentation highlighted two new technology investments: a drone-as-first-responder program (chief said drones reach many scenes in about 85 seconds in examples cited) and expanded RTCC software and camera integrations. The department asked to move some recurring airtime and other costs from RICO (seizure/disposition fund) to the general fund, saying RICO revenues have become less reliable after recent legislative changes and cryptocurrency trends affecting forfeiture collections.

On school safety and SROs, Leduc said the department will expand school resource officers from 10 to 13 and requested a lieutenant to supervise the additional officers and a sergeant realignment to maintain span of control. The department also requested six additional patrol vehicles and continuation of leased vehicles for undercover and investigative assignments.

Leduc said overtime spikes are driven by vacancy coverage, special events and critical incidents; the department expects about $1.4 million in cost recovery from event reimbursements next year. He also flagged the national challenge in filling dispatch and other specialized positions and said the department uses a rigorous hiring pipeline and workload-analysis tools (Corona Solutions) to set staffing and deployment.

Ending: Chief Leduc answered commissioners’ questions about contract detail, photo-enforcement risks from possible state action, and workforce wellness; commissioners asked staff for more line-item detail on contractual-service increases and how RICO-to-general-fund transfers will be handled.