Copyright 2006 DR Partners d/b/a Las Vegas Review-Journal
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By FRANCIS MCCABE
Las Vegas Review-Journal
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Even with 152 recruits in training and an additional 140 officers budgeted to be hired in the next year, the Metropolitan Police Department will fall short of its goal of averaging two officers for every 1,000 citizens, according to the department’s budget director.
Approved in 2005, a quarter-cent sales tax increase is expected to generate $66.6 million for the department.
Of that, $29.9 million is to be used to support 160 recruits and pay for 140 officers next year, along with their supplies and equipment. The remaining money will be used to support those officers during the coming years.
There are two academy classes this year. Each started with 90 recruits. Class one has lost 18, and class two has lost 10, police spokesman Sgt. Chris Jones said. The first class is set to graduate in June and the second in September.
“It’s a little less than what we anticipated,” police budget director Janelle Kraft said. But during the next 18 months, the city will attempt to fill all of those positions, she said. “There are 300 officers funded through the (2005 sales tax revenue increase), and we are going to try and fill all of those positions.”
Even if the department is able to train the full 300 officers, it will only take the ratio of officers to 1.9 for every 1,000 residents, Kraft said.
That number is based on census data from 2005. At the earliest, it will be 2007 before the full slate of recruits are out of the academy. The county’s population growth is expected to continue throughout that time.
“It’s still not where we want to be,” Kraft said.
On Thursday the department will unveil a recruiting plan to attract new officers to the department drawn up by R&R Partners, the marketing firm that developed the “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” slogan.
“It’s the edgiest, most modern police recruiting plan I have seen anywhere,” Sheriff Bill Young said.
Meanwhile, the department’s fiscal affairs committee endorsed the $466.4 million 2006-07 budget Monday, 10.6 percent larger than last year, setting the stage for approval by the Las Vegas City Council and Clark County Commission.
The proposed budget alleviated concerns that the council and commission would cut funding because of the sales tax increase.
Instead the budget has increased $44.7 million.
“We are living up to the commitment” that the budget wouldn’t be cut, said Clark County Commissioner Rory Reid, who is on the fiscal affairs committee and approved the budget proposal.
The budget highlights building improvements, including $11.4 million for a hangar facility for the department’s air support services, and $2.4 million to complete construction of a central command for the southwest portion of the valley.
“There is a lot of need at Metro and I would love to have more dough,” Young said. “But I hung my hat out three years ago to get more officers, and I am thrilled that we are finally starting that process.”
The budget also includes hiring more than 100 civilian personal, everything from clerks to scientists who work in crime labs, Young said.