National COPS Evaluation of St. Paul: 2000

Budget

During the last five years, according to Chief Finney's executive assistant who oversees budgets, there has been a "hold the line" budget, except for federal and state grant monies that have been received. So the general fund amount has been roughly constant. Budgets have consistently been one-half million to one million dollars short, usually 5% less than actual costs, for the workforce. SPPD had an authorized strength of 511 sworn officers in 1991, with an overtime budget of $1.1 million. In 1997, with 572 sworn authorized, the budget was $1,065,000, with actual spending reaching $1,160,000: for the most part grants were used to make up the shortfall. Most of the overtime went to Operations (including street functions such as those carried out by FORCE) and the Communications Center.

The breakdown for the most recent budget available, 1997, is:

Total SPPD Budget: $54,225,794

Funding Sources:

Program/ Projects $ 7,081,713 (including grants, funds from asset forfeitures, special revenues)

General Fund $47,144,081 (1997 City Council's Adopted Figures)

1997 SPPD Expenditures by Division (see Organizational Chart):

Chief's Office (including Administration): $ 9,276,662

Support Services $11,953,837

Operations $32,995,295

Actual expenditures are either at or slightly below these figures.

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