The City of Tallahassee’s fiscal year 2017 first quarter budget update reports the Police Department anticipates filling all positions for the first COPS grant before the end of FY17.
TPD has 376 sworn positions filled and 18 vacant as of early February and anticipates hiring 6 pre-certified officers in April and 10 trainees in July. TPD has filled 6 of the 7 Violent Crimes Response Team positions that were funded by the COPS grant and the first installment of grant funds will begin in the second quarter of FY17.
Fifteen additional positions associated with the second, and most recent, COPS grant will be filled beginning in FY18. All sworn positions will be filled by the end of FY18.
Also, the update states that TPD will submit a grant application on February 16, 2017 to the Department of Justice for a comprehensive body-worn camera program. City matching funds of $335,000 have been included in the FY17 and FY18 capital budgets ($670,000 total) should TPD be awarded the grant.
And finally, the budget update reports that police overtime expended in the first quarter is normally greater than the remainder of the year due primarily due to FSU and FAMU home football games and events associated with the holiday season.
However, overtime is approximately $150k more in the first quarter of FY17 versus the first quarter of FY16, due in part to training of new hires, crime response as well increased presence at FSU home football games and dignitary protection related to the presidential election.
Furthermore, the City reports that reductions to overtime related to filling vacant positions are not realized until officers advance to solo status. Twenty officers will progress to this status during the second quarter of FY17.
The City of Tallahassee’s First Quarter Budget Update Highlights Public Safety Issues added by Staff on
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Too bad they had to hire a 2nd psychologist specifically for veterans and prior officers due to the first one finding any excuse to fail them.