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Blair police request big budget increase for leadership, officers and technology; council presses for cuts amid city shortfall
Summary
Police leaders asked the council for roughly $1.2 million in additional budget support—including a captain position, two patrol officers, new cruisers and technology such as license‑plate readers and drones—saying the investments follow an independent staffing study. Council members pressed for cost breakdowns and suggested scaling requests given a citywide general‑fund gap.
Chief Keny and senior police leaders presented a comprehensive budget request at the June 30 workshop that they said follows the city‑commissioned staffing study and is designed to strengthen supervision, officer safety and operational capacity. The department’s top priorities included a proposed police captain, two additional patrol officers, two marked cruisers and expanded technology and facility planning.
"This budget reflects reality," Chief Keny told the council, saying the requests were developed from a line‑by‑line assessment of actual operational needs rather than percentage increases.
Why it matters: Police asked for roughly $1.2 million more than the current administration’s proposal, with personnel accounting for the largest share. Department leaders said a captain would improve supervision and help manage projects and training; two additional officers would reduce reliance on overtime and improve minimum staffing on shifts. The request also included significant one‑time costs: vehicle purchases and outfitting (vehicles can cost ~$90,000–$100,000 each, with comparable outfitting costs), and technology such as license‑plate readers and cloud evidence storage.
Council response and tradeoffs: Several council members said the ask must be weighed against the broader budget gap. Staff noted the city had already included a sizable increase for police in the administration’s draft (about $620,000), and council members asked the department to pare the add‑on requests or provide precise cost sheets so members could evaluate priorities.
Details the council asked for: officers’ annual compensation totals and timing, precise vehicle and outfitting quotes, grant offsets, and a clearer breakdown of technology license and subscription costs. Chief Keny said the captain position was the department’s top priority and that the leadership role would produce organizational benefits beyond next year’s numbers.
Ending: Council members asked for an emailed breakdown of salaries, vehicles and equipment so they could evaluate what portion of the department’s extra request could be funded within the current fiscal constraints. No decisions were made at the workshop.
