Reading’s proposed 2027 police budget maintains funding for 175 officers and increases overtime allocations as the department works to fill vacancies and reach its staffing goal.
City Council reviewed the department’s spending plans Wednesday during a committee of the whole meeting, examining personnel costs, overtime, equipment and other expenses across four divisions: criminal investigations, special services, patrol and administration.
Finance Director Joseph Famiglietti outlined the proposed expenditures, including adjustments intended to better reflect how the department spends its money.
The department currently has approximately 160 to 161 officers, according to figures provided during the meeting, and hopes to reach its authorized complement of 175 through ongoing recruitment.
Police Chief Javier Ruiz said the department has a class of 53 prospective recruits and another 26 candidates undergoing background checks.
“We should be able to fill them out hopefully within this year, next year,” the chief said.
Council members also learned that three long-vacant positions will remain unfunded in 2027: a video safety unit supervisor, a telecommunicator and one of three criminal investigator positions.
Famiglietti said the investigator vacancies cannot be filled until the department reaches its required officer staffing level.
Councilman O. Christopher Miller questioned whether the department’s overtime allocations reflect its continuing staffing shortages.
Famiglietti confirmed that vacancies are a factor in determining overtime needs.
“We make sure that if we’re adjusting an overtime budget, then naturally there should be a salary savings due to not filled positions,” he said.
The proposed budget includes $1.7 million for patrol overtime and $600,000 for criminal investigations.
In special services, civilian overtime would increase from $750,000 to $850,000, while officer overtime would rise from $75,000 to $110,000.
The patrol division, the department’s largest, includes 132 full-time officer positions, with salaries totaling approximately $12.7 million.
The budget also provides $690,000 for school crossing guards with the Reading School District contributing $345,000, or half, of the contract cost.
Other patrol expenditures include $260,000 for fuel, $173,000 for uniforms and $38,500 for the department’s canine program.
Famiglietti said several significant changes in the budget reflect the reclassification of expenses rather than increases or reductions in services.
For example, patrol contracted services would decrease from $700,933 to $6,750, while dues and subscriptions would increase from $500 to $699,359.
Much of that funding covers subscriptions and maintenance associated with officers’ body cameras and Tasers.
Similar accounting adjustments were made throughout the department to place expenditures in the appropriate budget categories.
The proposed budget also includes $18,500 for a youth police academy in special services.
Councilwoman Melissa Ventura questioned the status of a part-time traffic secretary position, which replaced a full-time position earlier this year.
Famiglietti said the position remains vacant and the department is recruiting applicants. The job pays $20 an hour.
Famiglietti also said the administration will continue reviewing police-related revenue to ensure the city charges appropriate fees and recovers eligible expenses.
Councilwoman Vanessa Campos thanked department officials for their work and expressed optimism about reaching the staffing goal.
The review was part of council’s continuing examination of the city’s proposed 2027 spending plan.