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Police and fire chiefs outline staffing and overtime as council weighs budget cuts
Summary
Police Chief Anderson and the fire chief told council that staffing increases and training needs are central to their budgets; police overtime totaled about $471,000 last year ($323,000 YTD), and fire overtime averages fell to ~$150,000. Council requested line-item detail and asked staff to include public-safety options among deficit-reduction scenarios.
YPSILANTI — Public-safety leaders described staffing, fleet and training needs as the council considered budget trade-offs.
Police Chief Anderson reported the department has 31 sworn officers on staff with two vacancies and has hired several cadets; he noted the department incurred about $471,000 in overtime last year and about $323,000 year-to-date and said near‑full staffing should reduce overtime in the coming budget year. Anderson described fleet-repair pressures (about $70,000 in repairs currently) and recommended replacement of aging patrol vehicles as a cost-efficiency measure.
The fire chief outlined operating costs for suppression equipment, SCBA maintenance and turnout gear, and said the department has invested in training and in a newly formed swift-water rescue team; the chief reported overtime trends down from roughly $250,000 historically to about $150,000 currently, driven by improved staffing and fewer extended vacancies.
Councilors asked whether background investigations could be done in‑house to reduce costs; police and fire leaders said in‑house capacity exists for some checks but that existing vendor and detective time remain part of the current process and can be adjusted as staffing allows. Council asked both departments for more granular, line-by-line budget detail and a list of possible operational cuts or revenue options that would have the least impact on public-safety services.
What happens next: the city manager and finance staff will include public-safety line items in the tiered reduction scenarios they will present to council. Councilors requested a breakdown of special-event overtime and a list of events that drive overtime costs so the council can weigh policy options related to event staffing and fee schedules.
