INSIGHTS
Economic indicators suggest the U . S . may be entering a recession . What steps should agencies take to prepare for proposed budget cuts as well as where they may look to make those reductions ?
Chief Chris Hodge Auburn Police Department ( continued )
a different management dynamic that requires fiscal discipline , forward planning , and often outside-the-box thinking . Success or failure for any law enforcement entity is directly correlated with how police budgets are constructed , monitored , and implemented . Creating a recession-proof budget is paramount in meeting the needs of the department and community while limiting any disruptions in police services . The first step in forming a long-term , successful budget is developing a multi-year , strategic plan for the agency . This effort underscores a simple premise ; without a vision an agency will fail . This multi-year plan should include , at a minimum , the way forward for the department to include goals , population projections , manpower and equipment needs , and all costs associated with operating the department . This plan will also establish a financial modicum that must always be maintained . Recession or no , this plan will present to stakeholders the fiscal commitment that must be present in order to sustain minimum police operations . Obviously , this strategic plan must be contoured to the needs of each community and should expressly annotate those areas within the department that must , without question , always be funded .
A multi-year plan should also include long and short-term capital improvement projects . For budgeting purposes , these projects are either those that are crucial to the overall operation of the department or signify an item that the department would like to purchase and / or implement should funding be available . In times of financial hardship , it is prudent to redirect funding from non-critical capital improvement projects to those areas within a budget that are experiencing a shortfall or may see a potential reduction in funding . History has taught us that recessions , however difficult to navigate , do come to an end . A delayed capital improvement should never be a forgotten one . Budget planning during a recession should generate greater scrutiny to line-items that historically are costly to a city or county agency . At the Auburn Police Department , fuel consumption and vehicle repair costs represented expenses that required monthly review . To mitigate expenses related to fuel , we chose to contract with a sole source provider for fuel services . Due to our current take-home vehicle policy , officers were fueling police vehicles at various fueling stations at considerable cost . To combat this , we contracted with a local fuel center who was able to provide discounted fuel services due to the volume that was purchased . This resulted in a 10 % reduction in overall annual fuel costs for the department . This same method was used to reduce the costs associated with vehicle maintenance and repairs . Businesses we contacted were more than willing to sharpen their pencils to lock in steady income . We were able to reduce our vehicle repair and maintenance line-item by 12 % last year using this model . Other areas that can be examined for potential cost savings are services provided by a department that may not be classified as “ essential .” The Mayor and City Council for the City of Auburn envisioned a department that was not only able to provide quality law enforcement services to their constituents , but a variety of community services and outreach programs as well . To date , the City of Auburn Public Information Office funds a nine-week Citizens Police Academy , a Police Explorer program , women ’ s self-defense classes , women ’ s gun safety courses , residential and business security assessments , bicycle safety courses , Shop with a Hero , Neighborhood Watch , and child safety seat inspections . The City absorbs the costs associated with each of these programs and considers them an important part of
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