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<br />Item 7.1. <br /> <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Mayor and City Council <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />Pat Klaers, City AdminMra~r <br />October 17, 2005 ~ <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />Consider Police Department Issued Weapons Policy and <br />Expenditure <br /> <br />Please review the attached memos from Chief of Police Jeff Beahen for the details, <br />background, and rationale for this request. <br /> <br />Over the past few months, the Finance and Administrative Services Director, Chief of <br />Police, and I have had a conversation or two regarding the current Police Department <br />weapons policy. I believe that we all agree that a change is needed and that we should have a <br />Police Department weapons policy that requires the same weapon for all sworn officers (or <br />some variation depending upon the decision of the Chief of Police). This is a significant city <br />improvement, not only from an insurance/liability point of view, but also from a public <br />safety and police officer safety point of view. This would also be a city expenditure versus an <br />employee expenditure. To change the policy would initially cost the city about $1,000 per <br />police officer and would, accordingly, cost about $27,000. In future years the cost would be a <br />relatively small expenditure. I strongly support getting the best, most employee endorsed <br />weapon available, and this is the Kimber pistol. <br /> <br />I'm not 100 % sure of the current status of our Council contingency fund, but I believe that <br />we are in pretty good condition. Additionally, I think that revenues are exceeding the <br />projections in the budget while expenditures are at or below the total budget; and therefore, <br />the City Council should be able to take this expenditure out of the city general fund; either <br />out of the contingency fund or by way of a budget amendment. If necessary, we also have <br />undesignated funds available in the equipment reserve. <br /> <br />Recommendation <br />It is recommended that the City Council endorse the department issued weapons policy and <br />authorize the expenditures from the Council contingency fund for purchasing the Kimber <br />pistol. <br /> <br />s: \ Council\Pat\200S \ WeaponsPolicy.doc <br />