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Woodland police present $4.2 million budget; council discusses staffing, overtime and technology costs
Summary
Chief Gibbs presented a $4,199,568 proposed police budget for 2026, telling council that personnel and benefits account for roughly 79% of the department’s costs and flagging recurring expenses such as Axon contracts, vehicle replacement, and care-and-custody jail fees.
Woodland Police Chief Gibbs outlined the department’s proposed $4,199,568 budget for 2026 at the Nov. 3 council workshop, saying personnel and benefits are the largest cost drivers and describing operational pressures that have led to elevated overtime this year.
“Total personnel is 19. We’re actually sitting at 17 personnel,” Gibbs said, and noted that personnel and benefits make up about 79% of the department’s budget. He described staffing shortfalls that required overtime — at one point four officers were out (two work-related injuries, one personal injury, one on parental leave) — and explained how that small-agency staffing dynamic produces high overtime costs when multiple officers are unavailable.
Gibbs also highlighted recurring new costs. The department entered a 10-year contract with Axon for dash and body cameras that will cost roughly $100,000 a year when it begins to be paid out of the department’s operating budget. He requested replacement of one marked patrol vehicle this year and flagged building repairs and technology upgrades (including security cameras) as near-term needs.
Council members asked how jail and detention charges flow into the budget; Gibbs said care-and-custody costs are effectively a lodging-style fee charged when the city books individuals into the regional jail and that the interlocal jail agreement and jail’s booking policies influence those costs. The council earlier approved an interlocal agreement with Cowlitz County for jail services (budgeted at $160,000) and separately approved an interlocal agreement with Clark County for ambulance transport services.
Why it matters: the police budget is the largest portion of the general fund; the mayor noted police costs represent more than half of the general fund’s expenditures. Council and chief discussed tradeoffs between staffing levels, overtime, equipment, and technology contracts as they work toward a balanced 2026 budget.
Next steps: the police department will refine line items and return supporting documents for final budget adoption in upcoming meetings.
