RCPD planning to use CARES Act funds to beef up IT Reserve Fund

The Riley County Police Department anticipates about $1.2 million in unused personnel funds as it closes out the 2020 budget cycle.

RCPD Capt. Josh Kyle presented end of year expenditures Monday to the Riley County Law Board. He says the department projects money will be available based primarily on the fact that a number of open positions remain unfilled. While the deficits in the communications center have stabilized, Kyle says corrections now has several vacancies.

“As a result, we currently have 13 open positions and that’s fairly typical for RCPD on any given month and so an overwhelming majority of those funds are due to a number of open positions,” he said.

The department says of that $1.2 million, approximately $152,000 of it comes from unused overtime expenses and $288,000 from CARES Act funds received. Kyle says RCPD has prioritized that CARES Act money go directly to support its IT Reserve Fund, which currently has $370,000 but is projected to be used up by 2024.

“By adding $288,000 we now have $658,000 and now you can start to see what happens when we start consuming funds and by 2024 we’re in the red and not set up to address any needs in 2025 as well,” he said.

Capt. Kyle also says RCPD believes another priority is its medical reimbursement plan for employees.

“It’s about $100,000 a year that comes out of this account, so we had about $1.2 million a couple years ago and over the last two years we’ve had $100,000 come up and now we’re at $980,000,” he said. “We think it’s prudent to add about $200,000 to this fund going into 2021.”

Other priorities for the anticipated remaining funds include worker’s compensation, medical fund, emergency reserve, firearms range, training software and a new police UTV.

In other business Monday, the Law Board unanimously approved an addendum to its procedures governing its task force officer body worn camera program.

RCPD Director Dennis Butler praised the addendum for clarifying guidelines for usage during investigations, specifically as it pertains to federal crimes.

“Our task force officers can wear their body worn cameras and use them during attempts to serve arrest warrants and search warrants. That video footage is the property of the federal government when it is recorded during a federal task force operation,” he said.

Butler says it also accounts for the fact local jurisdictions may have other requirements for such footage obtained from these cameras.

“So if we have a situation where an officer may be accused of something, we can use it for internal investigations, so we can access it that way,” he said.

If a video needs to be released publicly, a process is in place through the US Attorney’s Office and the lead agency which RCPD would have to work through.

In other business Monday:

*Director Butler announced the promotions of officer Scott Hajek to the rank of lieutenant and Gregory Steere to the rank of captain.

* The 2021 meeting calendar was approved.

* The Law Board also held an executive session over non-elected personnel matters but took no vote afterward.

* No action was taken on a modified employment agreement between the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency and Director Butler. The director is entering his third year of a three-year contract.