Police and fire chiefs outline equipment costs and staffing challenges as committee reviews budgets

Chief Mills, the city27s police chief, told the budget committee that the countywide radio transition requires replacement of existing radios at roughly $6,000 per unit and that an initial quote for his department27s replacements is about $220,000. "They're running about $6,000 a radio... with a quote of $220,000 just to replace our radios," Chief Mills said during his presentation on the police budget and capital needs.

Committee members and the chief discussed staffing benchmarks: the meeting record notes department staffing at approximately 1.4 officers per 1,000 population, while a cited benchmark (FGI) recommends about 4.6 per 1,000. The chief said the department is prioritizing retention and wellness initiatives and leaning on technology and mutual aid partnerships to mitigate constraints; he also warned that if additional revenue sources like the proposed public safety fee are not approved, services could be reduced.

Fire Chief Mike described the fire department27s staffing environment, including a stated operational rate around 0.55 (relative to career averages) and heavy reliance on volunteers and student firefighters for daytime coverage. Mike noted recent equipment gains — a new fire engine and a donated Type 3 wildland engine — and described a 10-year debt payment schedule for some purchases. He said volunteer availability and daytime staffing gaps limit the department's ability to staff a second engine consistently.

Both chiefs emphasized operational risks if capital and staffing needs are unmet; they presented equipment and grant details that the committee factored into fund-by-fund approval decisions later in the meeting.