KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- In a letter addressed to Raytown citizens, police chief Jim Lynch warned he will have to eliminate 30 positions within his department — including 17 full-time officers — if the city cuts $3 million from the department’s budget.
He posted the letter to the police department’s website and Facebook page Monday afternoon.
“My staff and I have poured over every possible option to maintain basic law enforcement services within the budget constraints,” he wrote. “In order to meet the budget mandate of the upcoming budget period, effective November 1, 2017… 30 positions will have to be eliminated.”
Right now, the city of Raytown is facing a budget shortfall.
According to the city manager, the city’s projected revenue for 2018 is around $11 million. However, the proposed budgets from all of Raytown’s departments adds up to nearly $14 million.
He told 41 Action News the police department makes up the largest portion of the city’s budget.
However, in the letter, the police chief said 85 percent of the department’s annual budget is made up of personnel costs, including jail staff, dispatchers, detectives, police officers and others.
“I requested a smaller budget cut, a compromise, to be able to maintain service levels,” he wrote. “At the time of posting this letter, the Board’s budget reduction has not changed.”
Potential Police Department Cuts:
- 17 full-time sworn police officers
- 10 full-time civilian personnel
- 3 part-time civilian personnel
- Elimination of all civilian jail personnel
- Elimination of all community services activities, including Shop with a Cop
- Reduction of the number of detectives
The city manager told 41 Action News, no budget has been voted on. The board of aldermen are still reviewing the the proposed police budget and will discuss the chief’s proposed cuts during a work session meeting Tuesday.
The city is on track to finalize the 2018 budget by October 3rd. Until a vote and the budget is finalized, no changes should go into effect.
To read the police chief’s letter, click here.
