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Police superintendent asks to sustain academy hires; touts body‑worn camera data and training gains
Summary
Superintendent Larry Akers presented a trimmed FY27 request and asked the council to continue sending recruits to the academy to avoid future shortages, citing improved clearance rates for homicide investigations, Axon body‑worn camera use, and expanded supervisory training.
Police Superintendent Larry Akers told the budget hearing the department’s FY27 level‑service request was reduced to meet administration guidance but asked the council to support continued academy classes so the department does not fall behind in staffing.
Akers said the department is expecting to graduate about 50 recruits in May and that sustained hiring is necessary because retirements and attrition will otherwise create recurring shortfalls. He asked councilors to consider the long‑term risk of pausing academy classes, noting that ‘‘if we don't continue to put officers in these academies...we're gonna end up a 100 officers short before you know it" if hiring stops.
He emphasized investments in training: 27 supervisors attended FBI LETA courses and the department expanded science‑based force‑interview training. Akers described the department’s Axon suite — body‑worn cameras, analytics and a community survey — as improving transparency and community engagement; he said surveys of people who had encounters show roughly 90% satisfaction.
Councilors pressed for details about a software/cash‑management line item; Akers clarified the early‑detection analytics are already part of the Axon suite and not a new funding request. The superintendent proposed nine civilian positions could be held vacant to meet targets, saving about $523,000 in salary if not filled, but he cautioned that many of those duties would fall to existing staff or to sworn officers temporarily.
Next steps: the department will continue to work with the mayor’s office and CFO staff on which positions are critical to keep filled and which can be deferred.
