Riley County Law Board members began budget discussion at their Monday meeting with much talk about personnel–but prior to that discussion Brian Johnson with the Local Fraternal Order of Police reminded the board of the difficult cases police deal with daily such as infant autopsies, suicide calls, rape victims they try to console. Johnson encouraged the board to carefully consider adequate pay and consideration of shift differential and educational pay when dealing with the personnel aspect of this next year’s budget.
Riley County Police Asst. Director John Doehling told the board four options are recommended for personnel, with an increase for part time and overtime pay, a .8 percent cost of living adjustment, expanded differential pay, and education pay of 250 dollars per month for 95 personnel compared to the 58 now. That would mean an overall increase to last year’s budget of 1.724 percent for personnel only.
Riley County Police Director Brad Schoen also talked to law board members Monday about next year’s budget, which is complicated even further by uncertainty of funding for new co-responder mental health positions. While grants and other methods have the positions funded for now, the next year might prove to be more difficult, especially with the different budget times for RCPD and the city of Manhattan. Schoen described the timing as “exquisitely bad.”
Asst. Director Doehling also went over detailed numbers on step increases, cost of living adjustments, and proposed changes in shift differential pay and education pay. Full time, part time, overtime salaries as well as KPERS, health insurance, and workmen’s and unemployment compensation were other factors to consider.
Board Chair Craig Beardsley seemed supportive at this point of the budget discussions, saying he liked the direction they were going and like the education pay. Beardsley also talked about the importance of putting some money behind the mental health co-responders.
Next month non-personnel items will be the focus of discussion.
While Fake Patty’s Day was more than two weeks ago, Riley County Law Board members finally had a chance for an after action briefing presented by Riley County Police Captain Josh Kyle. Captain Kyle told the group many types of reports and arrests were down at this year’s event centered in Aggieville including DUI’s disorderly conducts, and noise complaints.
And while the turn out is dependent on a number of factors including weather, how the department deploys, other events going on, and as Captain Kyle says even the “luck of the draw”–he recommends the current deployment levels for Fake Patty’s Day 2018.
While law board members had some questions and comments, most seemed to feel positively about how the event was handled, including Board Member Usha Reddi who commented earlier in the meeting “It’s an outstanding job that you do.”.
A few comments were made about ways to keep the event more confined to Aggieville.
Law board members Monday also recognized Dispatcher Mary Gorman with a lifesaving award involving a golf cart accident in May of 2016 and Officer Garrett Lloyd was presented with a Commendation award in a January case involving a distraught person who finally surrendered due to rapport with Lloyd. A proclamation recognizing National Public Safety Telecommunications week was also read and presented.
