The Everett City Council Project Committee on June 3 approved the Everett Police Department's FY26 budget after extended questioning about overtime, longevity and expanded animal-control costs.

Councilors pressed Police Chief Robert Strong about a nearly 38% increase in projected overtime and why longevity and radio costs had swung in recent years. Chief Strong cited the paid family and medical leave program (PFMLA), injuries and training needs as reasons he asked for a larger overtime line. "Losing an officer for three months is a lot," Strong said, noting several officers are out on PFMLA or injured. He also said the department planned summer initiatives including expanded bike and walking beats that will draw on overtime funding.

The committee also focused on an increase in the animal-control line from prior years. Strong said the city moved to a new contracted kennel, Oceanside Kennel in Revere, and that the higher request covers kennel fees and veterinary bills, not euthanasia. "That is not accurate," he told the committee when asked whether the increase would fund euthanizing dogs, and he added, "They're not being euthanized." The department said the kennel contract and vet bills are the primary drivers of the larger animal-control budget.

Several councilors also raised persistent constituent complaints about perceived cooperation between federal immigration agents and local police. Chief Strong said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel sometimes meet at the back of the police station to "get their assignment, and then they leave," and he denied that the department shares case information with ICE. "We are not assisting ICE at all," he said.

Parking enforcement was another sustained topic. Councilors urged more resources for parking control, saying enforcement is stretched and that enforcement gaps are a recurring neighborhood complaint. Chief Strong and Director Indresano said the department had added positions for FY26 and would increase weekend enforcement; they also discussed plans to add computers and printers in cruisers so officers can issue citations from vehicles.

The committee voted to approve the police budget. Committee members said they generally supported the department but pushed for stronger tracking of overtime spending and more transparent reporting on contracts, including animal-control and ticket-processing costs.

The committee also asked the administration to provide a breakdown of outside legal or consultant payments tied to planning and enforcement work that appear in other departments' budgets, a request made during questioning about peer-review and legal-retainer spending for inspection and planning functions.

Whatomes next: The FY26 budgets approved by the committee move to the required public hearing process and final adoption steps as set by the city charter; councilors said they would revisit operational questions if year-to-date reports show significant variances.