Lawrence police present roughly $18 million FY26 budget; new chief questions need for deputy chief slot

The Lawrence Police Department presented its proposed fiscal-year 2026 operating budget to the Lawrence City Council on May 21, with Director Rosa Sheppard saying the department filed a balanced request of about $18.0 million and that the total increase over last year is $702,413, or roughly 3.84 percent.

Why it matters: The presentation highlighted several personnel-driven costs — education pay differentials enacted under the “Quinn bill,” individual salary adjustments for senior staff, and funding tied to vacancies and overtime — and prompted council members to press the department’s new chief for more detail before the council votes on the overall city budget.

Rosa Sheppard, a department presenter, gave line-item changes in police administration. She said the budget includes a $175,000 increase tied to a deputy chief line, a raise for the director of police and community relations from $95,365 to $99,500 (a $4,135 increase), and a raise for the director of support services from $90,346 to $94,600 (a $4,254 increase). Sheppard also said the confidential secretary line reflects a decrease of $8,080 and directed councilors to pages 67–74 of the budget book for details.

The council asked for specifics about the $702,413 increase and how those funds would be allocated. A finance-presenter explanation and Sheppard attributed a portion of the increase to the Quinn bill, a statewide package the council was told adjusts pay for officers with additional education (associates, bachelor’s and master’s increments). Sheppard identified the three main recurring grants that offset some costs as the 9-1-1 training grant, the 9-1-1 support/incentive grant, and the Municipal Staffing grant.

The newly confirmed chief of police, who said he had been confirmed less than 24 hours earlier, told councilors he had not had sufficient time to review the proposed budget in detail and said he preferred the opportunity to revisit the item after a closer analysis. Asked directly whether the department needs a deputy chief position, the chief replied, “my answer is no,” but added he wanted to reallocate the roughly $175,000 in a way that “makes us more operationally efficient” and said he could use the funds for hiring, advertising, or other personnel needs if allowed. He asked for time to identify how best to reallocate the funds and offered to return to a later hearing with recommendations.

Councilors pressed the chief and Sheppard on internal flexibility to move funds. Finance staff and council clarifed that amounts already in “personal services” can be used among categories of employee pay across divisions (administration, operations, animal control), but transfers out of personal services into different character categories generally require council approval. Councilors urged the administration and new chief to confer and, if necessary, return to a future budget hearing before the council approves the book.

Councilors also asked about vacancies and overtime. Sheppard identified a vacancy (the “vacancy factor” or lost-time adjustment) budgeted at about $588,000 to reflect current open positions, and the chief said reducing overtime via new hires was a priority to relieve burnout among officers. The chief reported there are four captains and said an organizational reallocation of captain responsibilities is planned; he said he did not intend immediately to assign the deputy-chief duties to a captain.

Other policy and personnel details discussed: the chief said new police hires who attend the police academy must commit to three years’ service to the city or repay the city’s training costs; human resources will add that clause to offer letters. Several councilors urged caution on proposed salary increases amid broader city budget constraints and asked the chief to account for those concerns when he returns.

No formal vote was taken on the police budget during this session. The council agreed to schedule the police department to return on a future hearing day so the new chief can present a reviewed, more detailed plan.

Looking ahead: The police department will coordinate with council staff to identify an available date during the remaining budget hearing days for a follow-up presentation. The chief asked for time to prepare a reallocation proposal and to discuss options with the mayor’s administration and human resources before returning to the council.