Police Department now five officers strong

Kimball Police chief Darren Huff is expecting more budget cuts to come in his department as the City of Kimball looks at a budget short fall of nearly $100,000.

The local Police Department, which is funded solely by property tax, the more stable of the tax bases, has weathered budget cuts in previous years and has continuously ended the fiscal year under budget.

“Property taxes primarily have been used to fund public safety – police and fire. In our case police have been getting the majority of that property tax,” Ortiz said. “In order to make things work the budget is based on the City coming near, if not at the max of, the mill levy. But I don’t know yet what valuations are going to be, so that can change.”

Currently the police department’s expenses are $8,000 less than the budgeted amount, but as tough decisions are being made, nearly every department is being scrutinized again this year. While the department concluded the last two years below budget, this coming fiscal year, will see budget cuts for the department, slashing another officer position.

“Another officer position has been cut so that makes us five strong,” Huff said.

Last year the department was cut from seven officers to six and this year it is proposed that another position be cut, allowing the department just five, including a School Resource Officer, which the city has not had since December of 2014.

“We haven’t had an SRO in the schools, dedicated entirely, in large part because of our staffing needs,” Ortiz said. “But if we were able to maintain those five officers and continue the program we could potentially receive up to $24,000 in grant funding. That would be based on when we could get that SRO back into the schools and fulfill that program criteria.”

Schnell questioned how the cuts will affect the department’s overtime. Captain Andy Bremer, who schedules officers, said that with twelve-hour shifts and unforeseen events such as court dates, overtime hours will likely increase.

While he hopes for the best, Huff said that his crew is working in 12 hour shifts around the clock and he is concerned with burn-out.

Huff anticipates knowing more soon as numbers become final following the Kimball City Council’s final budget workshop, held on Thursday, Aug. 4.