Fort Lauderdale police chief asks for $1.9 million in special-event overtime, cameras and staff to cut forensic backlog

Chief Schultz, Fort Lauderdale police chief, told the Budget Advisory Board on May 21 that the Police Department submitted six decision packages as part of the city budget process, starting with a request for $1,900,000 to cover overtime for city-sponsored special events.

"These events have become, much to the city's credit, become so successful," Chief Schultz said. "This package is asking for $1,900,000 in addition to our regular overtime funding to assist us in paying the officers who we sometimes mandate to come in ... to work these events."

The department described the overtime request as covering recurring city events including New Year's Eve, the MLK parade, Memorial Weekend events, the Great American Beach Party, Fourth of July, Sistrunk Festival and spring break. Schultz told the board the amount was calculated with OMB based on prior years' overtime coding and includes FICA.

A second package would fund operating costs tied to the planned new police headquarters (landscaping, utilities and service contracts) and would be adjusted to the building move-in date. A third package focuses on technology to "enhance neighborhood security," proposing three digital message boards with integrated license-plate readers (LPRs) and additional closed-circuit television cameras for the city's main entertainment areas.

Schultz outlined the proposed camera counts for downtown entertainment corridors: eight cameras for the Himmarshee/Second Street area, 14 for the Las Olas Boulevard area (which currently has no permanent cameras), and a combination of 18 multi-lens and 16 pan‑tilt cameras for the Sistrunk Corridor. He said beach camera coverage was not part of this package because the beach already has numerous installed cameras.

"Technology is a force increaser," Schultz said. He described real‑time sharing with the Broward Sheriff's Office real‑time crime center and an upcoming permanent city command center once the new headquarters opens.

The department also proposed more physical security assets: portable vehicle barriers and removable bollards for pedestrian zones and special events, and a mobile trailer of small cameras the department deploys to temporary hotspots.

On forensic capacity, the police requested a second forensic specialist to work with the one currently assigned to the Broward Sheriff's Office laboratory. Schultz said adding a second specialist would allow in‑house peer review, cutting current delays he described as "about a 28‑day month delay" roughly in half to 14 days for the most serious DNA cases.

Schultz described a reorganization decision package that would not add personnel or immediate cost but would align the department's organizational chart with the Office of Management and Budget so OMB has an accurate, documented staffing picture. "Community support officers ... are remaining exactly as they are," Schultz said, adding the department plans an Office of Professional Development to consolidate existing units.

Board members voiced support for the requests and asked operational questions. Vice Chair Melissa Milroy said residents "count on and expect" public safety investments, and board members asked about interagency camera sharing, existing camera counts (the chief said there are well over 100 city‑owned cameras and access to many hundreds more through private networks and the school district), and whether neighborhoods can buy cameras and integrate them into the city system (the department said it has a package for HOAs and named Sunrise Key as a recent onboarding).

Schultz told the board the department has reduced vacancies substantially from about 50 when he took over in late 2023 to roughly eight at the time of the meeting and that current sworn staffing is 571. He said forensic backlog, camera deployment and event overtime were the chief operational drivers behind the requests.

No formal votes or commission actions were taken at the advisory board meeting; the presentation was part of the budget review process and will inform the city's recommended budget that the commission will review.

The department packet contains itemized budgets and area maps for the proposed camera deployments and barriers; board members asked the department to consider grant and sponsorship opportunities to offset costs and to coordinate outreach to neighborhood associations about camera integration plans.

Schultz closed by thanking staff and command personnel, and the board members thanked the department for the presentation.