Police, fire chiefs outline equipment, staffing and grant priorities as council reviews 2026 budget
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Summary
During a focused budget review, the police chief sought funding for an electronic-sniffing canine (grant-funded with a $2,000 contingency), license-plate reader cameras, dispatch upgrades and vehicle replacements; Fire Chief Chappell explained a $500,000 overtime line, proposed third-party EMS QA (~$40,000), an AFG turnout-gear grant and station door improvements.
Tiffin's police and fire leadership outlined several priorities on Nov. 25 as the City Council reviewed the 2026 budget and discussed items to be finalized at a special Dec. 8 meeting.
Police budget highlights (presented by the police chief) included a request to add $2,000 in contingency funds tied to a $25,000 grant to acquire an electronic-sniffing canine; the chief said the grant will cover the dog, training, initial veterinary and equipment costs but asked for a small contingency for unforeseen vet visits and food. "I applied for and received a $25,000 grant for an electronic sniffing canine," the chief said. The department also requested roughly $80,000 in capital to upgrade the dispatch communications room and to begin installing fixed license-plate reader (LPR) cameras at selected locations citywide. The chief described LPRs as fixed investigative tools, not constant surveillance, and said they would be used to search for specific vehicles or person(s) of interest during incidents: "we would only be utilizing these in the event of some sort of incident that we need to look at them," the chief said.
The police chief named Detective Eric England as the primary handler for the new canine and said Officer Liz Miller will continue as the handler for the existing narcotics/tracking dog, Leo.
Fire Chief Chappell reviewed the fire and rescue budget, explaining that the overtime request ($500,000) reflects holiday and recall pay tied to the collective bargaining agreement; he clarified much of that total comes from holiday pay and recalls rather than routine overtime. Chappell also proposed using a third-party EMS QA service (estimated about $40,000) to review EMS reports and free deputy chief time for inspections and other duties. He reported the department was selected for an AFG grant to purchase six sets of turnout gear (value just under $29,000) with a 5% city match (about $1,400) and requested $35,000 for Station 1 door improvements.
Both chiefs noted that wage increases were not included in the draft budget because contract negotiations with unions remain unfinished. City staff and council members requested follow-up details and were encouraged to submit additional budget questions to the mayor or city administrator ahead of the special meeting.
