This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.
Public Safety Chief Mike Butler presented to Longmont City Council on Tuesday night concerning the proposed usages of the public safety tax, should it pass this November.
The tax increase, which is expected to generate $5,194,537 of sales and use tax revenue, would primarily go towards hiring 20 new full-time employees, including five communications specialists, two patrol police officers, two detective police officers, two traffic community service officers, and more.
Although initially included on the hiring list, Butler stated that they had "eliminated the Fire Prevention Specialist" because they will be able to fund "that position out of the Incremental Development Revenue."
Similarly, one dispatcher was removed because "they are going to be able to fund that through the 2018 budget."
Butler stated that in return of removing these positions, two new body camera custodian positions were added.
"We do want to convert to body cameras in 2018. This has become something that we've been holding off on until we've seen a lot of other police departments go through cycle after cycle of either technology or new policies until they more or less hone those. In our county, the District Attorney is highly encouraging all police departments to utilize body camera for evidentiary purposes. The City of Boulder has had body cameras; Boulder County has body cameras; the University of Colorado has body cameras; I believe Erie has body cameras and I know Lafayette and Lousiville are considering it," said Butler
"This is just a point of catching up with the technology that is now expected, not only by the DA but we're also getting requests from defense attorneys and I think this is going to become a normal expectation on the part of the Criminal Justice System that police officers carry body cameras."
"If the public safety tax doesn't pass, does that mean we won't get body cameras or we would have to delay that," asked Mayor Dennis Coombs.
"That's exactly what that means," responded Butler.
Other proposed usages of the public safety tax are $950,000 to be used for the replacement of the police records management system and $250,000 for the replacement of the target system at the firing range.
Of the $5,194,537, there is still $1,017,083 that has not been allocated. According to city council communication, "should this tax pass, staff will update the line item budget to further reflect how these funds will be budgeted."
For the complete list of the what the public safety tax may be used for if approved by Council and if passed in November, please see below:
20 full-time employees to the Public Safety Department
- 2.0 FTE Police Officers in Patrol (ongoing $172,706 and one-time $97,113)
- 1.0 FTE Legal Advisor in Patrol (ongoing $125,258 and one-time $27,856)
- 1.0 FTE Sergeant in Detectives (ongoing $143,382 and one-time $60,461)
- 2.0 FTE Police Officers in Detectives (ongoing $220,694 and one-time $85,029)
- 1.0 FTE Community Service Officer in Detectives (ongoing $78,953 and one-time $4,140)
- 1.0 FTE Crime Scene Investigator in Detectives (ongoing $107,806 and one-time $7,950)
- 2.0 FTE Body Camera Custodians in Detectives (ongoing $151,256 and one-time $28,788)
- 5.0 FTE Communications Specialist in Communications (ongoing $394,930 and one-time $5,400)
- 1.0 FTE Communications Shift Supervisor in Communications (ongoing $100,842 and one-time $1,880)
- 2.0 FTE Community Service Officers in Traffic (ongoing $157,690 and one-time $79,638)
- 1.0 FTE Community Service Officer in Animal Control (ongoing $71,344 and one-time $79,298
- 1.0 FTE Armorer at the Firing Range (ongoing $65,305 and one-time $11,175)
Other ongoing expenses
- Cleaning and maintenance of the Longmont Emergency Communications Center and the Emergency Operations Center ($5,500)
- Increased funding for the volunteer services program ($16,150)
- Increased base budget funding for IT, OEM and Police Services training ($14,775)
- Increased base budget training for Fire Investigations and Technical Rescue ($9,800)
- Funding for tactical strength and conditions for fitness instructors ($7,100)
- Temporary wages for the LEVI program ($35,000)
- Funding for cell phone replacements ($3,000)
- Funding for an undercover leased vehicle for Gang and Crime Suppression ($7,200)
- Maintenance and storage funding for body-worn cameras ($60,000)
One-time expenses
- Body worn cameras and storage ($160,000)
- Replacement of the Fire Records Management System ($200,000)
- Replacement of the Police Records Management System ($950,000)
- Replacement of target system at the Firing Range ($250,000)
