Police overtime rises in FY2026 budget; council and staff weigh staffing, reimbursements and regional care-team funding

Police leaders told council the proposed FY2026 budget includes a marked increase in overtime for sworn officers: the police overtime line moves from roughly $500,000 to $750,000 in the police department's proposal and the department-wide overtime total was presented around $8.28 million in the city-wide personnel figure that includes other divisions.

Chiefs and staff said overtime rises reflect minimum staffing needs, event coverage and part‑time/temporary demands. "If we get 5 officers... it will help the overtime, but it won't immediately impact it because we have to get those officers trained and put on the street," the police chief said, noting hires reduce overtime over time rather than immediately.

Council members asked for more granular tracking of overtime categories (city events, minimum staffing, reimbursable assignments) and for the payroll/timekeeping codes that would allow line‑item reporting. Staff said payroll and dispatch data could be coded to show overtime categories and that they will provide a breakdown of overtime and associated reimbursements for events.

Council also discussed third‑party security and contract models for special events; the chief said outside security is used for some events but trained sworn officers are preferred for many city responsibilities.

Separately, staff briefed the council on the DeSoto regional care team. Sergeant Summers said the multi‑city grant that previously supported a regional team has largely ended and that DeSoto will continue a DeSoto care team; remaining grant funds for non‑personnel costs run out by October. "The grant is actually the second that we've put out... DeSoto is still under a grant... the funds in it will be exhausted by October 1," Summers said. Staff flagged the need to identify sustainable operational funding and to integrate the care team into the city's wraparound response model as a near‑term priority.