Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Department of Public Safety outlines budget priorities: DNA-lab shortfall, vape disposal and CAD-to-CAD dispatch link
Summary
DPS told the subcommittee its public-safety operations rely on a $432 million budget and highlighted several funding needs: a DNA-collection fee shortfall (about $800,000), hazardous-vape disposal costs (inventory of ~56,000 cartridges), and a CAD-to-CAD statewide dispatch linking project (RFA: $720,000 one-time / $148,000 ongoing).
Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, and Joe Brown, DPS finance manager, presented the department's budget and several priority requests to the Criminal Justice Appropriations Subcommittee.
Mason said DPS's total operating budget is about $432 million, funding roughly 1,482 FTEs and hundreds of vehicles across highway patrol, state crime lab, emergency management, driver license operations and more. He described several funding concerns that drove specific requests.
Crime lab and DNA fee shortfall: Mason explained that a $125 fee assessed on qualifying offenders is inconsistently collected (collection rate ~17%), and federal grants that previously offset lab costs have declined. "We anticipate being about $800,000 short this year," Mason said. DPS requested roughly $500,000 one-time this year and a similar amount next year to avoid a…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
