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Police chief outlines FY27 budget request, cites staffing shortfalls and rise in retail thefts
Summary
Chief Bill Bro presented the police department's proposed FY27 budget—a roughly $640,000 (7.7%) increase driven largely by contractual obligations, body‑worn camera costs and dispatch debt service—and outlined staffing challenges (authorized 40 sworn officers, currently 32; operating with 28) and rising quality‑of‑life calls.
Chief of Police Bill Bro presented the South Burlington Police Department's proposed FY27 budget and a data snapshot for calendar-year 2024. "We responded to a little over 12,000 calls for service in calendar year '24," Bro said, and clarified that about 78% of department responses were non-criminal community-service calls and only about 16% were reported crimes under Vermont statute.
Bro said authorized sworn strength is 40 officers, the department currently has 32 positions filled and is operating with 28 sworn officers due to officers in training and one deployed on military service. He told councilors recruitment and retention are the largest ongoing challenges and identified three primary budget drivers: contractual obligations (roughly $500,000), a body‑worn camera contract (about $45,000 increase), and debt service related to the dispatch center. Councilors asked follow-up questions about crime breakdowns, well-being checks and strategies to retain experienced staff.
