Request of $19. 1 million is "everything I asked for"
“Mr. Mayor and Council. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to proudly present to you the Police Department's 2023 budget recommendations.” Thus began the remarks of Chief Kara Riley at last week’s 2023 Town Manager Recommended Budget study session. The budget request is $19.1 million [Panel below-right] for the Police Department. The request includes funding for every item that Chief Riley requested. In response to a question asked by Council Member Solomon, Chief stated that "I got everything I asked for."
Bottom-up budget involves "rank and file" and more
Bottom-up budget involves "rank and file" and more
Riley built the budget request involving many of the personnel in the department. “Back in November 2021, we begin the process and discussion of what … police department men and women think we need in order to continue to be the best police agency in Arizona.” That means keeping Oro Valley the safest city in Arizona.
Requests adds two police officers.. frees up another for field work... focusses on recruiting
One of the key focal points of the budget is adding four positions: Two police officers, a dispatcher, and a civilian public information officer (PIO). Staffing the PIO position releases an officer who is the current PIO for patrol work.The goal of the PIO position “is to really focus on marketing and recruiting with diversity; so we want to make sure that we continue to have the best person to tell our story as a profession… We are focusing on marketing and campaigning to hire more police officers and get people in the door sooner” by working to increase interest in the profession.
Having the ability to recruit and develop officers is going to increase in importance. Some officers on the force are moving toward retirement. Future leaders need to be ready to assume new roles. Recruits will be needed to fill patrol openings.
Inflation and availability play a major role in the budget.
For example, there is a large increase in the cost of outfitting and operating vehicles. “Our biggest expense is vehicles. Right now we are starting to see the cost of the equipment for the vehicles go from $50,000 almost up to $70,000.” Availability is also an issue. “I have vehicles sitting right now that are not being outfitted because we can't get the stuff.” Other cost increase include the cost of gasoline cost.
Technology use increasing... drives up cost... but improves quality
The Oro Valley Police Department has been implementing technology to improve policing. "Every time we go to a crime scene there is technology involved. We must be able to gather information that is evidence. It is an expensive process of software that we have to be able to have in order to be the voice of victims.”
Chief Riley thanks the community
Chief Riley thanked the community for it's commitment to law enforcement [see panel above-left]. She also thanked her team.
"Men and women in the law enforcement profession still come to work they serve every day through the structures of this job, through the pandemic and all the other calls for service that they may take. For that, I want you to know how grateful I am for the men and women of this agency. I want to publicly recognize all of them for their hard work and dedication to this community. I'm humbled and grateful and honored to be their Police Chief."
