Council leaning towards adding 2 new police officers to Prairie Village force

The Prairie Village City Council appears to be inclined to grant Police Chief Wes Jordan’s request to hire two new police officers, but are still grappling with how to pay for the additional staff.

In making his recommendation to the council last month, Jordan estimated that the cost of bringing the new officers on would be $200,000 for the first year, and $150,000 per year thereafter.

Informal polls amongst the council during the budget process have revealed considerable support for the idea of bringing the new officers on, but the council has yet to reach a consensus about how to cover the costs. If the council were to use a property tax increase to fund the new costs, the mill levy would have to be raised by .75 to cover the first year cost.

Should the council include funding for the two new officers in the budget it submits to the county in August, they likely wouldn’t be on the streets until summer 2012. Assuming the officers were not already accredited, they’d need to enter police academy in January 2012 and then complete a 16-week field training program.