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Neptune Beach reviews FY26 police budget, proposes department-wide body cameras and expanded license-plate readers
Summary
At a July 21 budget workshop, Chief Key told the Neptune Beach City Council the police department’s FY26 request adds about $26,000 net for radios, body-worn cameras and seven additional license-plate readers, with much of the program funded by grants and restricted accounts.
Neptune Beach — The Neptune Beach City Council on July 21 heard a presentation from Chief Key on the Police Department’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, which he said would require a modest net increase over baseline to expand technology and cover select capital items.
Chief Key told council members the department is asking for roughly $26,000 above its baseline after internal cuts and grant offsets. He described two primary new equipment requests: in-car radios (about $6,000, to be funded from a radio/911 trust account) and a departmentwide rollout of body-worn cameras. "We feel that it's needed," Chief Key said, arguing that limited prior 'hot-seat' camera usage left gaps in coverage and that a full rollout will better document incidents.
Why it matters: Chief Key framed the camera and radio purchases as accountability and safety measures, saying they would reduce investigative gaps and help capture evidence in incidents involving multiple officers. He also said the department averages about one internal-affairs case a year and expressed pride in staff…
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