Police Department: staffing shortfalls, recruiting gains and an aging West Patrol station on the agenda
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Summary
The police chief told commissioners that the department is operating below its funded FTEs and faces a net reduction in sworn staffing in the 2026 funding picture; chief and staff described recruitment progress and highlighted the poor condition and limited public access at the West Patrol facility.
Police Chief presented the department’s city-side budget summary at the Aug. 19 workshop and stressed staffing shortfalls and facility needs. Chief Oakman said the budget package funds 369 FTEs across city funds (including civilian staff), and that roughly 309 sworn positions are being funded in the 2026 proposal; he said the department currently has about 316 sworn officers on the roster, with additional sworn positions funded by federal grants (12) and with roughly 60 positions identified as unfunded/absent compared with earlier staffing levels. The chief said turnover this year included roughly 19 separations to date and that recruitment drives produced a sizeable academy class (about 21 in training at the time of the workshop). The chief also noted the department has secured grants — approximately $10.8 million since 2021 — to buy equipment and staffing that otherwise would not be UG-funded. Commissioners pressed the chief about the condition of West Patrol station; the chief and staff showed photos and described deteriorating concrete, plumbing and HVAC issues, and said the station is not suitable for public walk‑in reporting. The department said it is pursuing targeted cost savings (leasing changes for detective vehicles, programmatic efficiencies) and is prioritizing the real‑time crime center and other crime‑fighting investments funded from confined sources where possible. Commissioners asked for precise headcount and vacancy lists and for continued engagement on facility improvements and recruitment.
