The Meridian City Council voted unanimously to authorize two account clerk senior positions in the Police Department intended to staff the city's planned real-time crime center.

Police department staff told the council the positions will operate on rotating shifts to enable round‑the‑clock monitoring of city cameras. The positions were described as operators staffing the center; shifts will include 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. coverage and others to maintain 24/7 monitoring.

Councilwoman Walker raised a funding question during discussion, noting a $10,194 difference between the listed annual salary figure of $38,376 and a higher figure shown elsewhere in the materials (a range up to $45,308). "Where will that come from?" she asked. A police department staff member responded that the city has enough funds for the remainder of the current fiscal year and that the department will request the necessary personnel dollars in the 2026 budget.

Vote and implementation: The council moved and seconded the item and approved it by voice vote, recorded in the transcript as "Aye" with a 5‑0 outcome. Staff said they are scheduling training so the new hires will be "plug and play" when the real‑time crime center becomes operational.

Details: The materials presented to council included salary and fringe‑benefit estimates; the transcript does not record a hiring date or exact start date for the positions, only that training will be expedited so operators are ready when the center comes online.

Next steps: Hiring and training were discussed as immediate priorities ahead of the center's opening, and departmental staff indicated the positions will be included in next year's budget planning.