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Police present hiring plan, fleet needs and technology asks; supervisors press for sustained academy classes
Summary
Police leaders told the committee the department is still below authorized staffing despite recent classes and outlined capital needs — aging fleet, public safety building equipment and IT upgrades — while supervisors urged continued commitment to regular academy classes to prevent future shortfalls.
The Police Department on April 17 presented its FY2013-14 budget overview to the Board’s Budget and Finance Committee, emphasizing that nearly 88–90% of the department’s budget is devoted to salaries and fringe and that attrition has recently outpaced hiring despite a Mayor‑backed hiring plan.
Department leaders said they are working to achieve a higher sworn count through authorized academy classes and lateral hires; the chief said the hiring plan moved the department closer to roughly 1,700 officers from a lower point, but attrition remains a significant factor. Staff described a re‑civilianization strategy to return about 52 positions to civilian status — a move that would free sworn officers for patrol — and framed that change as roughly equivalent to another academy class in operational effect.
The department also described capital and operational pressures: an aging fleet (many marked cars exceed 100,000 miles and some would fail environmental screening), a vehicle replacement plan proposal, and a package of IT and capital asks including Public Safety Building FF&E funding, a crime data warehouse, mobile devices for officers and upgrades to police IT systems. The department reported a $1.13 million shortfall tied to the housing authority payment that funds roughly 40 officers assigned to public housing areas and said it expects to work with the Mayor’s Budget Office to close the gap.
Supervisor Scott Wiener questioned whether the MTA should shoulder more of the cost for traffic company work orders that currently total nearly $14–$15 million, noting the services are essential but asking whether the funding source could be shifted given Muni’s strain. The chief responded that the distribution of costs dates back to prior administrations and that the department will deliver the services regardless of funding permutations.
Chief and staff previewed a supplemental request related to overtime; the department said it expects overtime costs to decline as staffing is restored but noted recent high‑profile events and operational demands could cause short‑term increases. There were no public comments and the committee continued the Police Department item to the call of the chair.
