Police ask council for 12 officers, three lieutenants and continued support for Flock cameras and drones

Chief Coy Brown presented the police department’s FY27–FY31 priorities and told the City Council the department intends to add 12 patrol officer positions and increase lieutenant staffing by three to support a shift to 10‑hour schedules and reduce overtime. “We have a need to add 12 new officer positions to patrol and increase our lieutenant staffing by three,” Brown said, linking the hires to improved supervision, reduced officer fatigue and better recruiting and retention.

Brown said the department reorganized patrol into 10 districts this year and that the additional supervisors would allow a lieutenant to be assigned to each patrol team. He described the staffing change as a way to lower overtime, strengthen field supervision and improve community service delivery.

On technology, Brown credited the city’s Flock license‑plate recognition cameras and an emerging drone program with direct investigative benefits. “Flock is … reducing crime in Temple, but also helping us solve crimes that have occurred,” he said, and described a recent case where investigators picked up a suspect vehicle on Flock imagery near the scene.

Police also requested a dedicated grants program manager to pursue federal, state and private grants (including COPS grants to fund officer positions) and to manage compliance and reporting, after a challenging COPS‑grant experience this year. Brown said a centralized grants position would improve the city’s ability to apply for and manage award requirements.

Other police requests included added shelter staffing for an expanded animal services facility, an accreditation and admin manager to pursue national accreditation alongside the Texas Police Chiefs Association, and a civilian supervisor for the crime‑scene unit to manage evolving forensic technology.

The council raised questions about timing and how annual staffing additions would be displayed in the rating tool used for prioritization; staff said the 12‑officer total represents a multiyear plan through FY31 and that specific hires would be staggered across fiscal years.

The police presentation closed with an appeal to sustain funding for Flock and the drone program; no formal vote was taken in this session. The council will consider these requests in the broader FY27 budget process.