MANHATTAN — The Riley County Police Department is requesting more than $830,000 in increases to its yearly budget for 2020.
The requests are part of a nearly 4 percent increase proposed by leadership at a special budget meeting Friday with the Riley County Law Board. The proposal includes nearly $21.5 million for operating costs, roughly $831,000 or 3.8 percent more than its 2019 budget. Items requested to be funded in the 2020 budget include hiring officers, creating an on-call pay system and working attempts to rectify under-funding in several accounts including overtime. Director Dennis Butler spoke about the requests Friday afternoon.
Those squads, he says, are understaffed currently with some still in training, which puts additional pressure on the overtime allotment.
Captain Josh Kyle noted that 20 accounts are underfunded currently by about $750,000. He says officials have estimated the department had about $1.2 million in unused personnel funds over the last three years, which are typically used to pad other accounts or pay for necessities. Kyle says by addressing issues of under-funding, the department will be able to better track expenditures.
The requests include a better than $545,000 increase to the personnel budget and a $285,000 increase in non-personnel funds. The department is requesting a significant increase in overtime dollars, as it’s largely been underfunded each of the past five years. Captain Kyle says the department has averaged $536,000 in actual overtime paid out, while trying to stay under an allotment of about $346,000.
Last year, RCPD went $118,000 over its authorized overtime dollars. In 2017 it was $176,000 over. A five year average shows the department spending about $536,000 in overtime pay. Prior to 2018, Fink says RCPD had three shifts of officers working round-the-clock. Captain Richard Fink spoke about the now utilized four squad-based shifts of eight officers working at a time, which has helped alleviate some pressures on overtime.
RCPD is also requesting a $43,200 base increase in on-call pay after a review of the fair labor standards act. Director Butler says this affects detectives, detective sergeants and K9 officers. When those employees are on scheduled off-duty time but are on call, their movements are restricted.
Other notable requests in the 2020 budget include $185,000 for IT to establish a reserve fund to build through 2023 to aid in purchasing new technology. In addition, $55,000 is requested for a new CSI detective, $128,000 for three correction officers and a 1.31 percent cost of living adjustment which amounts to more than $281,000.
