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Shawnee council hears police 2026 budget; chief flags personnel costs, Axon contract increase
Summary
At a June meeting the Shawnee City Council received an informational presentation on the police department’s proposed 2026 budget. Police Chief Sam Larson said personnel costs are the primary driver of an approximately $1.2 million increase across four funds and highlighted a $100,000 rise tied to the department’s Axon contract.
At a June City Council meeting in Shawnee, Kansas, Police Chief Sam Larson presented the police department’s proposed 2026 budget to the council, saying the request includes no new programs or additional staffing and that personnel costs remain the largest expense.
Larson told the council the department’s budget spans four revenue funds—general fund, public safety equipment fund, narcotics fund and an alcohol fund—and that “across all 4 funds” the proposed 2026 total shows about a $1,200,000 increase from 2025. He attributed most of that change to personnel and recurring contractual and maintenance costs.
The police department is Shawnee’s largest, Larson said, with 125 employees, of whom 103 are sworn officers and 22 are civilian staff. He told council there were four current officer vacancies and one dispatcher opening. Larson said the department is “full staff now” in reference to its mental-health corresponder positions, noting the city now has three corresponders after previously staffing one or two.
Larson outlined several line-item pressures: higher professional-services costs (including animal boarding and department physicals), rising jail fees from the county, and a $100,000 increase to the public safety equipment fund driven by the department’s multi-year contract with Axon for in-car and body cameras and digital evidence management. A council member said the Axon program runs roughly $400,000 per year; Larson noted the contract moves more data storage and services to a cloud-based model.
The department also uses a narcotics fund—money seized in enforcement—to buy and train K-9s; Larson said one canine was purchased in 2025 and another is planned for 2026 to replace a retiring animal. He estimated a patrol K-9’s useful service life at about eight years. Larson said the department reviews investigative software annually and has dropped some products while adding others.
Larson discussed succession planning as a priority: he said many officers hired in the 1990s will be reaching retirement eligibility in coming years, and the department is preparing supervisors and frontline employees for promotion. He said he would work with the city manager about options such as temporary over-hiring if more candidates are available than current vacancies allow.
On public-safety operations, Larson described the city’s seven patrol districts and emphasized mutual aid in major incidents, saying he expected many agencies in Johnson County to respond quickly to large events. When asked about how residents should verify someone claiming to be an officer, Larson advised, “Call 911, and they would be able to help you.”
The presentation was informational only; no Council vote was taken on the budget at the meeting. The Council later moved to adjourn.
