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Police outlines staffing, equipment and operational pressures as FY26 budget funds 18 Measure V positions
Summary
Police chief outlined staffing, transport pressures caused by a closed county jail, investments in body-worn cameras and Flock cameras, and requests for vehicles, drones and shelter upgrades tied to the FY26 budget.
The Ridgecrest Police Department told the council its FY26 budget supports ongoing operations and includes funds tied to Measure V and Measure P staffing, technology and equipment priorities.
The department’s presentation said Measure V funds 18 police employees (19 positions funded total across measures), while Measure P supports four officers, a dispatcher, records clerk and other support staff described in the Measure P staffing lineup. Kelly, finance staff, and Police Chief provided the department breakdowns during the meeting.
Chief (presented as "Chief") described operational pressures stemming from the Kern County jail closure and long transports to Lerdo (Bakersfield) and other facilities. Chief said officers logged roughly 720 transports last year, many long round trips to Lerdo of four hours or more, and that transport duty reduces patrol time available for proactive policing. “If you do 680 times minimally four hours, that's time lost on the streets of Ridgecrest,” the chief said.
The department highlighted technology investments: body-worn cameras are operational and initial startup costs are higher this year (about $172,000 in startup costs; recurring costs expected to fall in subsequent years), and “Flock” license-plate-reading cameras have been credited with several arrests. Chief said Flock alerts police when a vehicle entered the stolen-vehicle database or is connected to a violent-crime investigation and that use is limited to criminal investigations under department policy. "There are crimes that we, with a reasonable amount of certainty, would not have been solved without the Flock cameras," he said.
Staff also outlined other planned purchases: three patrol vehicles; interior and exterior drones with FAA Part 107 operators; upgrades to the animal shelter including cameras and sewer work; a $25,000 electrical upgrade for the police station; replacement inverters for a shelter solar array (approx. $25,000); and continued expansion of storage and evidence facilities. Chief said the department has three officers in and two officers starting the academy soon; several hires are local recruits.
Budget funding for body cameras, lens-lock evidence storage, and Flock licensing was placed in police departmental funds. Council and staff confirmed the city has budgeted roughly $250,000 annually as an approximate recurring cost for the combined camera programs after startup.
Ending: The police plan emphasizes recruiting local candidates, recovering patrol hours by reducing transport burdens, and using technology — body-worn cameras, Flock, drones — to increase investigative capacity while the FY26 budget funds staffing and equipment priorities.
