MPD Budget Calls for Furloughs and Position Freeze

By Wendy Osher

SLIGHT INCREASE AIMED AT COVERING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RAISES

The Maui Police Department presented its 2011 budget request before the council’s budget and finance committee today.  The Department is seeking an increase of about $300,000 in part to cover the 6% pay raise sworn officers are entitled to under the last year of a 4-year collective bargaining contract.  The contract also calls for a 4% step movement for about a third of the department’s 368 sworn personnel. 

FURLOUGHS Expected to impact Dispatch most

The Police department budget also calls for furloughs of HGEA and UPW employees excluding civilians, the chief and the deputy, resulting in an estimated $271,600 in savings.  Maui Police Chief Gary Yabuta said that breaks down to about $34,000 for administration, $36,000 for investigative services, $44,000 for uniform services, and $157,000 for support services.

“Out of this furlough program, we’re looking at about $75,300 for communications staff,” said Chief Yabuta.  “This is going to be the biggest impact with the furlough program because our dispatchers and communications section—to take them out of the program resulting from a furlough—would  definitely impact our ability to respond to 9-1-1 calls and calls for service,” said Chief Yabuta.

FREEZE ON 54 POSITIONS

The department is also proposing to freeze 47 sworn positions for six months, and seven civilian positions for the entire 2011 fiscal year.  Chief Yabuta said the move is expected to save the department $1.8 million.

OVERTIME BUDGET – FLAT

In all, the MPD is asking for $35.6 million in salaries for FY2011, compared to $35.29 in FY2010.

The Police Department’s overtime budget remains flat in 2011 at $4.9 million. But Chief Yabuta called the figure “a little bit unrealistic” because of the raises guaranteed under collective bargaining.

OPERATIONS BUDGET – FLAT

The MPD Operations Budget proposal is flat at $7,968,047 compared to he previous 2010 fiscal year.

EQUIPMENT BUDGET

The Maui Police Department is asking for $931,000 for its equipment budget, down from the $948,000 the department sought in the current fiscal year.  The figure includes 18 patrol vehicles at $47,000 each, 20 tasers at $1,000 each, 70 ballistic vests at $500 each, and a single culpascope at $15,000 to replace a technologically out of date device that was donated to the department 15 years ago.  The device is used by hospital staff when validating trauma in a sex assault victim.