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Police budget clears committee amid debate on staffing, technology and drone program
Summary
Chief Miller presented a FY2027 police budget showing modest overall increases driven mainly by contractual personnel costs; the committee approved personnel and expenditures budgets and discussed planned hires, a full‑time animal control officer, a domestic‑violence coordinator, license plate‑reader choices, a drone program grant and evidence‑room upgrades.
The Committee on Administration and Finance recommended approval of the Police Department’s FY2027 personnel and expenditures budgets after a presentation by Chief Miller, who described a personnel‑driven increase tied largely to collective‑bargaining terms and a small number of new positions.
Miller said operations expenses were largely level funded while personnel expenses rose, noting that “personnel and operations combined represent a 3.59 increase.” He gave figures for personnel cost increases, saying personnel expenses climbed 3.88% (approximately $530,429) and reported the department has 91 sworn officers against a city ordinance complement of 95; he added the budget includes hiring three more officers over the course of the year to improve patrol coverage.
The chief outlined three noncontractual personnel additions: converting a part‑time animal control officer to full time, converting a grant‑funded criminal‑justice coordinator/advocate into a full‑time domestic‑violence coordinator, and adding a $1,500 annual stipend for each of three sergeants assigned internal‑affairs duties. Miller estimated the two position conversions amount to roughly $115,000 in additional personnel costs.
Councilors asked detailed questions about technology and capital items. On remote license plate readers, Miller said the department is reviewing alternatives to Flock — noting objections from community members — and will present an audit of Flock data to a community meeting next week. He said installing department‑owned equipment would help the city “really own our own data,” but that the ubiquity of Flock across many jurisdictions has investigative value.
Miller also described technology and capital items in the CIP: a FEMA grant to expand an automated “Drones as First Responders” program (dispatcher‑launched drones with thermal capability for outdoor incidents), a booking‑room video‑software upgrade tied to Massachusetts discovery rules so footage can be transmitted to the district attorney’s office, a $10,000 purchase for lawful cell‑phone tracking software used under exigent circumstances or with a warrant, and evidence‑room and locker‑room upgrades.
Councilor King moved to recommend approval of the Police Department personnel budget ($14,204,513) and expenditures budget ($1,081,866); both motions were seconded and recorded as carrying by the committee (four hands in favor), bringing the department total to $15,286,379. Miller defended an overtime line (about $1.5 million) as a flexible resource for surge incidents and special investigative needs.
The committee advanced the Police Department budget recommendations to the next stage of the FY2027 budget process.
