The City of Concord Police Department asked council to authorize the city manager to execute an updated law enforcement agreement with the Concord ABC Board that would provide a more-defined funding model and increased staff for alcohol licensing and enforcement work.

Chief Hughes said the revised agreement would provide $200,000 annually from the ABC Board to the city, paid in equal installments every 90 days, and would include an annual 5% escalation to account for personnel and operational cost increases. In exchange, the Police Department would assign two full-time sworn officers exclusively to ABC enforcement; meeting the staffing commitment would require adding one sworn officer to the department's current authorized strength.

Chief Hughes explained the 1996 agreement originally addressed the ABC Board's responsibility for law enforcement and that statutory changes in 2023 established a 5% rate precedent for ABC funding. He clarified the 5% is calculated on net sales (after expenses), and that some additional city costs (salaries, benefits, vehicle maintenance) could exceed the $200,000 payment depending on the officers assigned.

Council members asked practical questions about how the officer(s) operate, training and whether ABC-funded officers can provide benefits beyond ABC-store compliance (permit review, underage enforcement campaigns and subject-matter expertise). Chief Hughes said the officers attend ALE training and typically remain in the role for several years; they perform compliance checks, help with permit review and provide alcohol-enforcement subject matter expertise to other officers.

Chief Hughes described the arrangement as mutually negotiated and beneficial: it offsets most of the personnel costs while providing consistent ABC enforcement and related enforcement benefits across the city.

What happens next: council will consider authorization of the agreement at the regular meeting; if approved, staff will proceed with finalizing terms and implementing the staffing plan.