Police Department outlines spending for coming years

Brown outlined to the McCook City Council Monday night the department's expected expenses for the upcoming years, including paving at the public safety center in 2010 at $116,000 and a sinking fund of $10,000 annually to replace radio consoles, mobile radios and portable radios.

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The idea is to replace equipment on a cyclic fashion so the budget doesn't have to replace the items all at once, he explained. Weapons typically last 10 years while computer equipment and bullet- proof vests last five, he said.

Several items are listed each year, such as vehicle equipment and patrol cars. Vehicle replacement is based on mileage and condition of the car, Brown said, with most cars rotated out at about 120-150,000 miles.

The vehicles are then either traded in, sold for parts or sold at a surplus city auction, depending where the city can get the most bang for its buck, he added.

The City Council recently approved a $1.4 million 2008-09 budget for the McCook Police Department.

Purchases for this year that the council approved include:

* bullet-proof vests, $7,000, split between funds from the Bullet Proof Vest program and general funds: 14 vest will be replaced, two were replaced with a grant. There are no trade-ins for old vests and old ones are kept for training purposes, Brown said.

* in-car mobile date computer system and SLEUTH records management software: $70,000, Nebraska Crime Commission grant: Brown said he is optimistic that the department will receive the grant by the end of the year. This system will be used in five patrol cars and allows officers to send and receive information from their vehicle directly to the computer at the police station, along with issuing "e-citations:" paper tickets issued to the offender but an electronic copy is sent to the police station. The Nebraska State Patrol already has this system in place.

* camera surveillance system, $1,000, general funds: used for suspected criminal activity in businesses, also for cases of vandalism. The department's system no longer works and personnel now borrow a system from the Red Willow County Sheriff's office.

* patrol vehicle, $22,000 with general fund

* in-car video system, $5,200, Highway Safety grant at $3,500 and $1,700 with general funds

* vehicle emergency lights, $2,250, general fund dollars

* vehicle radar system, $1,100, half from general funds, half from Highway Safety grant

* improvements to police range, $1,500 with general funds: a moving target system that improves marksmanship skills

* $10,000 for a sinking fund to purchase equipment in the future

2009-10:

* two police patrol vehicles, $44,000, general funds

* in-car radar unit, $52,000, half with general funds, half with Highway Safety Funds

* vehicle emergency lights, $2,250, general funds

* vehicle radar system, $1,100, general funds

* sinking fund to replace radio console, mobile radios, $10,000

* re-surface parking lot and driveway at public safety center, $116,000 with general funds and city sales tax revenue

* 2009-2014 -- $1,000 each year for taser replacement, for a total of $5,000

* in-car video system, $5,200, $3,500 with Highway Safety grant, $1,700 general funds

* computer server upgrade, $5,000, general funds

2010-11:

* two police patrol vehicles, $45,000, general funds

* in-car video system, $5,200, $3,500 with Highway Safety grant, $1,700 general funds

* vehicle emergency lights, $2,250, general fund

* vehicle radar system, $1,100, split between general funds and Highway Safety grant

* sinking fund to replace equipment, $10,000, general funds

* electrical upgrades, 15,000, general funds

* replace roofing materials, $37,000, general funds

2010-2011:

* two police patrol cars, $45,000, general funds

* in-car video system, $5,200, Highway Safety grant at $3,500 and general fund, $1,700

* vehicle emergency lights, $2,500, general funds

* vehicle radar system, $1,100m half with general funds, half with HIghway Safety grant

* sinking fund to replace radio equipment, $10,000, general funds

* replace mobile data computer, $4,000, general funds

* replace taser, $1,000, general funds

2012-13

* two police patrol cars, $46,000, general funds

* in-car video system, $5,200, Highway Safety grant at $3,500 and general fund, $1,700

* vehicle emergency lights, $2,500, general funds

* vehicle radar system, $1,100m half with general funds, half with HIghway Safety grant

* sinking fund to replace radio equipment, $10,000, general funds

* replace mobile data computer, $4,000, general funds

* replace taser, $1,000, general funds

* weapons, $13,000, $8,000 for handgun and $5,000 patrol rifles and shotguns, general funds.