Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council reviews police equipment purchases and a resolution to join GMA first‑responders PTSD fund
Summary
Council discussed using police salary savings to buy two in‑car mobile video systems and a resolution to enroll the city in the Georgia Municipal Association first‑responders PTSD insurance program. Staff described equipment costs, funding sources and insurance premium estimates; no final recorded vote appears in the meeting transcript.
City staff briefed council on multiple public‑safety items: a request to use salary savings to buy two in‑car mobile video systems for highway patrol vehicles, and a proposed resolution authorizing city membership in a GMA‑administered first‑responders PTSD fund.
Police leadership said two in‑car systems would cost about $11,500 each (roughly $23,000 total). Staff proposed using salary savings from recently filled vacancies to cover the purchase and then complete a budget amendment before the audit to reclassify salary savings to equipment purchases. The chief said cameras are essential for evidence capture and to address complaints and that the city has sufficient salary savings to cover the expense for the two systems.
On the PTSD coverage, staff said last year’s state legislation requires municipalities to provide mandatory coverage for officers who are victims of post‑traumatic stress disorder. The chief recommended adoption of a resolution and participation through the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) program. Staff provided an annual premium figure of $4,144 for the coverage under the Georgia Interlocal Risk Management Agency (GIRMA) as administered via GMA.
Council also heard staff proposals to surplus and dispose of two vehicles (a dump truck and a 2010 Crown Victoria patrol car) that are out of service; staff indicated the primary disposal method would likely be an online auction service such as GovDeals.
Ending: The item summaries were placed on the consent/new‑business list as described by the city manager; the transcript does not record a final council vote on the in‑car camera purchase, the PTSD resolution or the vehicle surplus within the provided excerpt.
