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Police chief presents staffing, programs and accreditation status
Summary
Police Chief provided the council an overview of staffing, organizational units including the Linn Interagency Narcotics Team, recent additions such as an east substation and photo enforcement upgrades, and noted costs and retention pressures that will inform the upcoming budget work.
Chief of Police (name as in transcript) briefed the council on the Albany Police Department’s organization, programs and budget components at the work session.
The department reported roughly 99.25 employees and a biennial budget of about $40.8 million, the chief said. The general fund contribution to police was about $33.9 million, supplemented by a $1.8 million city services fee and support from a public safety levy that covers a portion of sworn staffing.
The chief outlined primary functions: 24/7 patrol, a detective unit that handled over 200 assigned criminal cases in 2023 and reviewed nearly 500, re‑established traffic unit staffing (including a position supported by a state DUI enforcement grant), the Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement team (multi‑agency consortium that reported $36 million in narcotics seizures in 2023) and community service officers for low‑level calls and code work.
Notable recent items included an east‑side substation established through a rental agreement to maintain east‑side presence, expanded photo enforcement at Queen and Geary (speed and red light enforcement) after a 30‑day warning period, and online reporting that launched in December and had received 21 reports by the briefing.
The department maintains a 2 percent or lower vacancy rate, the chief said, noting that training a new officer takes about 18 months and that equipment and vehicle acquisition costs have climbed sharply (portable radios approaching $12,000 apiece; police cars costing about 25 percent more than previously). The department also emphasized international accreditation, reaccredited on a four‑year cycle, as a tool to maintain policy and performance standards.
The chief described workforce and cost pressures — wage and equipment increases, injuries that reduce deployable staff and a need to grow sworn staffing to meet call volume driven by city growth — and said the department will prioritize personnel and retention in the upcoming budget cycle.
