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Police chief warns of staffing shortfalls, requests cameras and evidence-room upgrades
Summary
Denton’s police chief told the board that salaries lag neighboring agencies and recruitment is suffering; the chief requested money for body armor replacement, evidence-room HVAC and additional cameras, and described using existing refund funds to pay off a damaged vehicle.
Denton’s police chief told the board the department is falling behind comparable agencies on pay and that recruitment and retention have become a serious challenge. The chief said, “our personnel is our most important resource,” and urged the board to consider salary and equipment investments to keep positions filled.
The chief requested replacement of five body armor plates that expire this budget year and said the department has ordered new vests but may rely temporarily on mutual aid until replacements arrive. He also recommended adding interior cameras, upgrading the evidence-room HVAC so DNA evidence can be preserved properly, and replacing an aging NVR that limits how far footage can be retrieved.
Board members discussed vehicle refunds and accounting; one refund was applied to pay off a damaged Dodge pickup, and the chief said there is no unrestricted pool of funds for new vehicle purchases. The chief said there is a potential federal grant that, if awarded, could pay half the cost of certain body armor purchases and encouraged continued membership in the relevant municipal league to retain that access.
The board did not take a formal vote on staffing or capital items at the meeting but asked staff to provide a current budget snapshot and prioritized cost estimates for immediate evidence-room camera needs.
