Howard County police seek 9% budget increase as council presses on overtime, hiring and range upgrades

Chief Gregory Derr told the Howard County Council at the FY25 operating budget work session that the police department’s proposed request is designed to “maintain our high current level of service for residents of Howard County.” The presentation described a roughly 9% increase over FY24 driven mainly by personnel costs and internal chargebacks.

The department introduced its senior command and budget team, and detailed several contributors to rising costs: health insurance and workers’ compensation increases, vehicle capital charges, data processing chargebacks, and a planned $1.1 million purchase for Axon services tied to body‑worn camera storage. “Personnel costs are amongst the most significant expense and make up 7.5 of the total 9% increase,” Chief Derr said.

Why it matters: Council members said they want to understand whether higher spending will reduce overtime and improve service. Councilmember Youngman pressed the chief on overtime reductions tied to hiring; Major Justin Baker reported 22 current sworn vacancies and said the department is authorized for 509 sworn positions but presently has about 487 on staff. “We run two recruit classes every year,” Chief Derr said, stressing that entry‑level officers take about a year to reach solo patrol status and that lateral hires shorten that timeframe.

Council members repeatedly asked for more precise, comparable pay data. Chief administrative officer Brandy Gantz said the county had analyzed contracts to ensure compensation was in line with peer jurisdictions; she told the council the department’s starting salary “compares very well with our peers.” Members asked staff to return with a jurisdictional comparison showing how Howard County’s starting pay ranks among neighbors.

Councilors also questioned a cluster of one‑time and non‑departmental items tied to police operations, including mobile data computer replacements and a plan to purchase three years’ worth of ammunition amid a national shortage. Chief Derr said the department’s indoor firing range is presently outdated and that a one‑time upgrade is needed to accommodate current training and lead‑removal requirements. He told the council that the ammunition purchase is a single, three‑year supply intended to address procurement constraints.

What was requested and next steps: The department is asking the council to approve the FY25 request that includes the personnel and chargeback increases described today. Council members asked staff to provide a clearer breakdown of how much of the county’s recruitment/retention pool will be allocated to police versus other public‑safety departments, to list upcoming academy class start dates and projected graduation sizes, and to return with a jurisdictional pay comparison and exact overtime totals for specific beats and programs.

The council did not vote on the budget request at the session; staff said they would follow up with the requested payroll and vacancy details and with an itemized list of non‑departmental charges tied to police operations.