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room, and provide upgraded office furniture, all being paid for using ARPA funding and to be <br /> complete by the end of next year. <br /> Chief Kaucheck pointed to funding acquired from the Violent Crime Reduction Act and how it <br /> was used to add additional police presence at Madison Park and purchase more public safety <br /> cameras and surveillance equipment. <br /> Chair Shachner looked to the 2023 Capital Budget, noting that the Police Department had <br /> requested $350,000 to acquire 5 vehicles with hybrid engines and $100,000 to continue and <br /> maintain the citywide camera surveillance system. He then asked whether the chief there was <br /> anything he wished he could do with the department that he cannot do under the proposed budget. <br /> Chief Kaucheck stated that the funding was sufficient and that the ARPA dollars cover anything <br /> his department could have asked for between staffing needs and facility upgrades. <br /> President Litten asked whether the proposed salaries for 2023 include full staffing of the Police <br /> Department throughout the year. Chief Kaucheck stated that he is hoping staffing issues will be <br /> minimal this year and that his department budgets for the worst-case scenario and hopes for the <br /> best. Mr. Litten followed up and confirmed with the chief that full staffing of neighborhood officer <br /> posts are included in the budget as well. <br /> Chair Shachner asked whether contract negotiations had been finalized with the police union. <br /> Mayor George indicated that the city and the union are close to coming to an agreement, and that <br /> the dispatchers' contract has been settled. <br /> Vice President Kepple asked whether the renovations to the men's locker room included adding <br /> lockers that allowed space for police vests to air out after use, citing previous discussions in the <br /> Public Safety Committee. Chief Kaucheck stated that the department is looking at how to better <br /> ventilate the area. He added that he first priced out the renovations a year ago and surmised that <br /> the pricing could have risen by as much as 25-50%. Ms. Kepple asked about the close quarters in <br /> the women's locker rooms as well, noting she was pleased with the number of female officers <br /> being brought in. Chief Kaucheck stated that the women's locker room may need expansion into <br /> the department's lobby space. <br /> Vice President Kepple asked Chief Kaucheck to explain the prisoner support budget, which <br /> contained a 562% increase in contractual services. Chief Kaucheck explained that the Cuyahoga <br /> County jail stopped taking Lakewood's prisoners due to COVID and that the Law Department is <br /> looking into how the city could be reimbursed for those funds. If the county continues to refuse <br /> prisoners, the city needs to look at having them housed in the Portage County jail, as other jails in <br /> the county do not want Lakewood's prisoners. Ms. Kepple stated that the county should take the <br /> prisoners and reimburse the cost of their diversion to other jails. Chief Kaucheck expressed hope <br /> that the county takes the prisoners that they are mandated to take, otherwise they are mandated to <br /> pay for their housing elsewhere. <br /> Councilmember Bullock asked if the shooting range renovation was complete, to which Chief <br /> Kaucheck indicated that it is totally functional. Mr. Bullock then asked about Chief Kaucheck to <br /> share the demographics of the department and its expanded diversity of hiring, specifically how <br /> 4 <br />