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Council discusses funding a sworn administrative sergeant to handle IT, code enforcement and supervision
Summary
Brigham City’s police chief told the council the department needs a sworn administrative sergeant (rather than a civilian IT hire) to provide supervisory capacity, code‑enforcement coverage and IT/security expertise; councilors said hiring timelines and promotion processes mean any new position likely takes effect later in the budget cycle.
The Brigham City police chief told councilors that the department’s workload—code enforcement, animal services, crossing‑guard supervision and specialized IT and records requirements—exceeds the capacity of a single line‑level officer and that hiring a sworn administrative sergeant would provide supervisory and operational flexibility the department lacks.
The chief said a civilian IT hire would provide technical skills but would not replace the supervisory, enforcement and operational functions performed by a sworn sergeant. He noted federal mandates (for example, security and evidence‑management requirements) and operations such as body‑camera compliance and radio programming where sworn personnel bring immediate law‑enforcement context. The chief also said internal promotions and recruitment timelines for a sworn supervisory position take months, and that staff would likely need to start the promotion and hiring process well before the position is effective in the new fiscal year.
Councilors acknowledged the tradeoffs and asked staff to provide fully burdened cost estimates and timing details; several members said they were comfortable supporting the position conceptually but wanted more precise budget and implementation timing to include in the June 18 materials and truth‑in‑taxation packets.
Staff explained that if the council approves funding for the position in the adopted budget, the department would begin the promotion/hiring process so the position could be in place as soon as practicable in the next fiscal cycle.
