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Police budget briefing: council hears hiring surge, overtime drivers and planned drone program; forfeiture funds cited for equipment
Summary
Police leadership told council that recent hiring is reducing shortfalls and that a planned drone-first-responder program may be funded by forfeiture proceeds unless an active $775,000 grant application succeeds.
Chief Blair and budget staff briefed council on staffing changes, overtime trends and new technology at the police department during the budget workshop.
Hiring and staffing: Chief Blair said the mayor authorized seven additional officer hires, which he expects will increase the department’s headcount toward its budgeted complement for the coming fiscal year. “We currently obviously have 68…we're making some good progress,” he said, noting the goal of reaching 75–78 officers depending on the approved staffing plan.
Overtime drivers and strategy: City budget staff showed historical overtime trends and noted that about 80% of the city's overtime occurs in public safety. Chief Blair and the mayor's office discussed structural reasons overtime is high — contractual categories that are not discretionary (court attendance, holiday pay, shift premiums and…
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