FORT SMITH -- The Police Department estimates it will have about $790,000 left over in its 2017 budget, and officials want to use the money to replace worn out equipment.
Lt. Wes Milam recommended the following purchases to city directors Tuesday: Nine patrol vehicles for nearly $580,000; 12 Tasers for $30,000; three motorcycles for $75,600 $28,000 in riot gear for 25 officers; and $23,000 to train seven new lieutenants and seven new sergeants.
Directors decided to vote on the requests at their meeting next week.
City Administrator Carl Geffken said the budget savings accumulated during the year mostly from resignations, retirements and new officers being paid entry level wages.
Dropped from the requests the directors will vote on was the purchase of the new vehicles. Instead, they will consider acquiring the new vehicles after discussing next month whether to lease or purchase vehicles for the department's fleet.
Finance Director Jennifer Walker told directors the city could acquire 15 vehicles by leasing them for five years for the same cost of purchasing nine vehicles. A memorandum from Police Chief Nathaniel Clark to the director said one 2018 Chevrolet Tahoe police package vehicle would cost $64,342.
Milam told directors Tuesday that the fleet was in need of replacement. Eleven of the department's 37 patrol vehicles have more than 200,000 miles and the rest have more than 100,000 miles, he said.
He said one officer was responding to a call last weekend when his vehicle broke down en route and stopped running.
With the recent addition of the rank of lieutenant to the department, seven sergeants will be promoted, and those vacated sergeant positions will have to be filled. The new sergeants and new lieutenants would be sent to a 4½-day Supervisor Leadership Institute Training session sponsored by the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, according to the memo to directors.
The Fort Smith Police Department doesn't use motorcycles now, but Milam said they are wanted to increase the department's traffic enforcement presence. The cost would include communication equipment, lights and sirens, uniforms and training.
Milam told directors the department's Tasers are old and worn out. Many don't work, which could prove a danger to officers in the field, he said.
As an option, he said, Taser has a financing plan that would allow the city to buy 100 Tasers and pay for them over five years at a cost of $41,000 the first year and $44,200 a year for the remaining four years.
The riot gear, or critical incident equipment, consists of a riot suit, riot gloves, gas mask, gas mask holder, wooden baton and riot helmet with face shield, according to the chief's memo.
NW News on 09/27/2017