Pine Bluff council approves reallocations to buy police vests and a fire hazmat truck

Pine Bluff's city council on July 20 adopted two budget amendments to reallocate existing salary funds so departments can buy equipment: $32,024 for police ballistic vests and $51,000 for a hazmat truck for the fire and emergency services department.

City staff explained both adjustments would come from unused salaries within the respective departments. During committee discussion the staff noted the police vests purchase was for 33 officers and would be paid from internal police salary savings; the hazmat vehicle request also was described as funded from fire-department salary savings.

Committee and council action: the Ways & Means Committee voted to forward both items with a "do pass" recommendation, and the full council later adopted the fire-truck amendment and the police-vests resolution by voice votes.

Officials said the measures do not add new recurring appropriations but reallocate existing budget authority. Council member Brown, presenting the Ways & Means summary, recapped committee action and the police department's staffing and equipment updates, noting "Crime is down, 25% from this time last year," and that the department will begin new recruit training in August.

Next steps: Finance staff will implement the budget adjustments and ensure documentation for the expenditures; the adopted resolutions require the finance department to incorporate the changes into the 2026 municipal budget.