Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Police topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Police chief reports staffing gaps, rising citations and firearms recoveries
Summary
Police Chief Kidwell told the committee the department has 66 funded positions (61 active), three recruits in the academy and rising citations and traffic enforcement in July; he also reported 10 firearms recovered and detailed overtime and grant reimbursements.
Police Chief Kidwell delivered the department’s July update, saying the force is authorized for 66 officers with 61 active and three recruits in the academy expected to graduate Aug. 20. "For the month of July, we recovered 9 firearms. Ken Egg recovered 1 for a total of 10," Chief Kidwell told the committee, and he listed recent personnel changes including the retirement of Sergeant Jose Martinez and the resignation of Officer Thomas Martin.
Kidwell also presented the department’s activity and financial figures for the month: he reported 5,554 incidents responded to, 370 cases generated, 135 adult arrests and five juvenile arrests, along with 345 traffic stops and 528 citations. He said overtime for June 28–July 25 totaled $24,872 and that portions will be reimbursed — $7,610 from the U.S. Marshals Service, $2,700 from a STEP traffic grant and additional recoveries via HIDA and TCAT — which will offset the overtime cost.
The chief pointed to two flagged bills in the packet: a shared dispatch charge of $65,452.01 (the city’s 0.667 share) and an annual maintenance fee for the records/dispatch system of $72,526.88; total city-related bills in the packet were $153,532.42. Committee members praised increased business checks and community policing; Chief Kidwell urged residents to lock vehicles to reduce thefts. The committee moved and approved payment of the listed city bills on a unanimous roll call.
