Police chief warns cuts to three funded positions would strain force as council weighs budget trade-offs and vehicle purchases

Curtis Bidsby, chief of the Lawrence Police Department, told the committee that removing three funded positions from the department's 2025 budget would "significant[ly] change" how the department delivers services and further overtax already stretched officers.

Chief Bidsby said the department was budgeted for 68 positions in 2025 but that 63 officers were currently filled; he described an active recruitment pipeline of about 11 candidates at various stages and said historically about half of candidates drop out during testing and background screens. "If we take away 3 now, then it takes approximately a year to get an officer on the police department," he said.

Councilors pressed for detail on alternative staffing. The chief confirmed reserve officers (about 26–28) exist and perform duties in operations, investigations and school assignments, but he said the department should not depend on civilian or volunteer reserves to substitute for full sworn staffing.

Council members and finance staff also discussed capital spending on patrol vehicles. Staff explained roughly 20 new police vehicles are accounted for in capital funds; the controller and financial adviser told the committee the capital (Keown/"king cap") fund shows estimated 2026 expenditures of about $1.1 million, a beginning 2026 balance near $757,000 and an expected year-end balance after purchases of roughly $660,000. A finance staff member said selected fully equipped vehicle costs were discussed on the record, and a number cited in the meeting for multiple vehicles was about $570,000 (transcript statement).

Councilors and staff said the city previously used ARPA and reserves to close budget gaps and warned that continuing to draw down reserves risks downgrade to junk-bond status and reduced borrowing capacity. Tom Berry (Crow), appearing as a financial advisor, explained that if the city cannot certify adequate revenues, the Department of Local Government Finance would return the budget with mandated cuts and the city's bond rating would be harmed; historically, mandated cuts have affected EMT staffing and firehouse operations.

Chief Bidsby urged that cuts to sworn staffing would reduce capacity to respond to incidents and that recruitment and training timelines mean lost positions have multi-year effects. Councilors acknowledged competing priorities and said the committee's draft removals still left the city short of the funds needed to grant civilian raises without additional measures.

No formal votes were taken on personnel reductions or the capital fund purchases at the committee meeting.