Cincinnati Interim Police Chief Adam Hennie says a 5.1% cut to the department budget would have to mean "personnel changes," i.e., layoffs.
All general fund departments have been asked to estimate 5.1% cuts in the next city budget to make up for a projected $29.5 million deficit. Hennie says that would mean nearly $11 million for the police department; he presented to City Council’s Budget Committee Monday with a plan to cut about $6.6 million.
"Including not filling our position vacancies allowance, which is about $3.8 million, we have about $250,000 in miscellaneous cuts," he said. "The option that we would also have is pushing this current recruit class that is scheduled to the 2028 fiscal year budget."
CPD is budgeted for 1,059 sworn officers, but hasn't had that many in years as officers retire more quickly than new ones are added. As of March 21, there are 959 officers.
Council member Seth Walsh says delaying a recruit class would just increase the department’s overtime budget.
"So that's got to be a non-starter, off the bat. It's how we ended up in this hole in the first place," Walsh said. "Yeah, there's a deficit — there's also priorities for our residents and our citizens."
Hennie says anything beyond the proposed $6.6 million in cuts would require "personnel adjustments," since 90% of his budget is personnel.
City Council is hearing budget presentations from all departments, which wraps up Wednesday morning. Then Council will pass a budget priorities motion, which the city manager will use to prepare the first draft of the budget.
Budget Committee Chair Jeff Cramerding says he does not expect 5.1% cuts to public safety, but he points out the police department and fire department make up about 60% of the general fund.
"We're talking 5% cuts — if you take away your biggest two departments, that means much larger cuts for the other departments. That's just the math and the situation we're dealing with," Cramerding told reporters. "That doesn't mean that we're going to cut police, it just makes the rest of the budget that much more challenging."
Hennie was not available for media questions after the presentation.
What happens next?
City Council has started the months-long process of collecting input from residents and city departments. The first public hearing last Wednesday drew about 20 speakers. Most advocated for a few specific nonprofits asking for funds this year.
City administration will host a "Budget Basics" virtual information session on April 8 (rescheduled from the session on March 23, which had technical problems).
City Council heard from residents at three public hearings in March. Department heads have been presenting their needs and budget requests to Council at several meetings, wrapping up April 1.
Council will vote on a policy motion in mid-April; that's the document City Manager Sheryl Long will use to create the first draft of the budget.
Long is expected to transmit her first draft to Mayor Aftab Pureval by the third week of May. The mayor and city manager typically hold a joint press conference to publicly release the first budget draft.
A final public hearing is expected the first week of June. Residents also can give feedback on the budget proposal during regularly scheduled meetings of the Budget and Finance Committee (Mondays at 1 p.m.) and the full City Council (Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m.).
Though City Council has until June 30 to vote on the final budget, typically the final vote occurs in mid-June.
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