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Stafford police present budget increases for evidence kits, software and overtime; requests PIO position
Summary
Stafford Police Chief requested increases to supplies, software and overtime lines in the proposed FY2025–26 budget and asked the council to fund a civilian public-information position by adding about $35,000 for salary and benefits.
Stafford Police Chief requested multiple increases to the department’s proposed FY2025–26 budget during a city council special workshop, citing depleted supplies and higher recurring costs.
The chief said the department needs an additional $2,000 for narcotics test kits and blood-collection kits, raising that line from $3,000 in the mayor’s proposed budget to $5,000. He told the council the department “ran out of both last year” and that blood kits must be purchased because the department supplies them when a blood warrant is obtained. The chief also requested that $2,000 be added to the account that pays for sexual assault (SANE) kits and medical services, increasing that line from $2,000 to $4,000 to cover expected bills.
On software and subscriptions, the chief asked the council to reinstate or increase the department’s request to about $250,203 (rounded and later discussed as $252,205 after small adjustments). He explained those subscriptions support essential police programs and said last year’s LexisNexis subscription had been removed and was not restored in the mayor’s proposed budget. The chief and council clarified the city’s policy that a subscription paid by a single department should come from that department’s budget, while multi-department subscriptions are IT’s responsibility.
The chief also outlined intergovernmental costs for radios and warrant-entry charges and described an $80,000 contract approved by council the previous night that will be added to the proposed budget.
On staffing and overtime, the police chief reported upward pay-pressure and overtime needs tied to special events (he specifically mentioned FIFA as an example) and requested that the council approve two new sworn officer positions and two dispatch conversions that were discussed earlier in preplanning. Separately, he proposed funding a civilian public information/media position by adding roughly $35,000 in salary and benefits so one person can “wear two hats” (communications and office of professional standards) rather than hiring a separate full-time PIO. He said the Stafford Municipal School District (SMSD) currently reimburses the city for a sergeant and one officer assigned to the district but that the interlocal agreement needs updating.
Council indicated general support for restoring some of the chief’s requested increases and for the staffing conversion; the council asked the chief to follow up on the SMSD interlocal and to return if final contract language or funding commitments changed.
Ending: The council’s preliminary additions to the mayor’s proposed budget included the police increases discussed above; council staff said they will incorporate the agreed changes into the draft and return with the capital-item list at the next meeting.
