York City police budget rises on contract increases, SPCA fee and RMS costs
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Summary
Police officials told the budget hearing they expect a notable increase in the 2026 police budget driven by contractual salary increases, a larger SPCA contribution, report-management system payments and body- and vehicle-camera subscription alignment.
Police leadership told council at the York City 2026 budget hearing that the department's general-fund request includes several large, unavoidable increases tied to personnel costs and vendor services.
The department said contractual salary increases (including an FOP negotiated increase and the calendar effect of a 27th pay period in a biweekly payroll year) plus prior arbitration adjustments account for a large share of the projected personnel increase. Police staff said they will provide a detailed salary breakout for council review.
Department officials also identified several non-personnel drivers of the increase: - A jump in "other contractual services" to cover an increased SPCA contribution (the department reported the SPCA fee rising from roughly $33,000 to $150,000). - A roughly $45,000 charge for the department's records-management system (RMS) where prior payments had been pre-paid and this is the first year the department must budget the ongoing subscription. - Higher body-worn-camera and in-car-camera subscription costs to align several disparate vendor contracts on a single schedule. - Funding for two fully outfitted patrol vehicles at an estimated $88,325 per vehicle.
Police presenters said some capital software and RMS modernization costs that had been considered were reduced after a market search concluded the existing system still met the department's needs.
The department told council the police budget will also reflect reductions in some one-time items (for example, software capital costs that will not repeat) and that several grants and special funds (community outreach, equitable-sharing, hospital resource officer funding) will shift year to year as contracts and outside arrangements change.
Council members asked for a salary breakout that isolates the 4.5% FOP raise, arbitration catch-up, and the 27th-pay impact so they can assess the recurring cost to the general fund. Police staff agreed to supply those figures with the draft budget.
Ending: Police officials said they will return the requested line-item salary detail and supporting vendor contract documentation for council review before final adoption of the 2026 budget.