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Police chief says department will add one officer in 2026, outlines technology and equipment upgrades
Summary
Police Chief reported the department will reach 20 officers with a planned hire in early 2026, and described capital and recurring technology costs including an $86,000 access‑control upgrade, Axon body‑camera subscriptions and license‑plate readers, and tactical equipment replacements.
The police chief told council the department expanded to 20 officers thanks to recent hires and will add one replacement officer in 2026 to restore staffing levels after attrition. The chief said outreach, social‑media recruitment and career‑fair attendance helped attract applicants.
He outlined equipment and recurring costs in the proposed budget: an access‑control upgrade estimated at $86,000 that will bring doors and systems onto the city’s generator‑backed network; Axon body‑camera subscriptions (~$28,000 per year) and redaction software (~$11,500 per year); license‑plate reader maintenance (about $27,250 per year); and a Trax cell‑phone investigative tool (~$5,000 per year) to replace an older leads‑database service. The chief also flagged one‑time purchases: proactive‑shooter helmets (~$33,000) and a handgun upgrade (~$21,000) with trade‑in benefits reducing net costs.
On program funding, the chief said the recently approved “first‑call” program will carry an initial expense but is expected to be largely covered by grants and a small opioid‑fund balance that recently posted roughly $12,000 in revenue. Council members asked about outside legal expenses, which the chief said largely reflect prosecutor fees and vary year to year depending on caseloads.
The department emphasized technology’s role in efficiency and stated that the Axon AI redaction tools significantly reduce staff time on public‑records requests.
