Police chief tells Alice council grants underwrite equipment as department seeks higher dispatcher pay
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Summary
The police chief said grant funding covers much of the department’s equipment and overtime and urged the council to consider higher starting pay for dispatchers; the department estimates roughly $1 million in grant revenue annually.
The City of Alice police chief outlined staffing and equipment needs during the budget workshop, urging councilmembers to consider raises for dispatchers and noting substantial grant funding supports equipment purchases and overtime.
On compensation, the chief said the city proposes a new starting wage for dispatchers of $17.21 per hour to be more competitive with neighboring agencies. "What we're proposing is 17.21 to start at $17.21," the chief said, describing dispatch work as demanding and currently underpaid relative to nearby jurisdictions.
The chief also reviewed grants and equipment: he credited grant writers and department efforts for bringing in technology and vehicles. "Roughly about a million dollars is what we bring in as a whole," he said when summarizing recent grant awards that funded body cameras, vehicles and radios. Staff said the city recently secured about $450,000 in grant funding for a radio upgrade for police and fire, and that other equipment and vehicles frequently come from grants or forfeiture funds.
Councilmembers and staff discussed options to fund pay increases and the timing of lease expirations for fleet vehicles; no final compensation decisions were made at the workshop. The chief said he will provide a grant-by-grant breakdown on request so councilmembers can see how outside funding offsets general-fund costs.
