Budget plan adds 19 officers, boosts firefighters’ salaries

• By RICHARD BURGESS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Aug 7, 2008 - Page: 1BA - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — The City-Parish Council on Wednesday reviewed proposed budgets for the police and fire departments that would add 19 police officers and raise salaries for firefighters.

The administration’s proposed $26 million budget for the Police Department next year is up 14 percent from this year, with most of the increase in salaries.

The budget adds 19 new officers, including eight school resource officers whose positions would be funded mainly by the Lafayette Parish School Board with some expenses taken on by City-Parish Government.

The additions would bring total funded positions at the department to 267 — the first major staffing boost in more that eight years.

Police Chief Jim Craft has said staffing levels have not kept pace with Lafayette’s growth, and he hopes to bring the department up to at least 300 officers over the next four years to bring Lafayette in line with cities of similar size.

The proposed budget also sets aside $1 million for 31 new police cars.

“Overall, I’m satisfied with what we received this year,” Craft said.

Council members Kenneth Boudreaux and Brandon Shelvin both requested the chief consider including in the proposed budget money for police precinct offices outside the main department to give law enforcement more of a presence in the community.

The administration’s proposed budget of $17 million for the Fire Department increases starting pay for firefighters from $1,833 to $2,125 per month, with commensurate pay increases up the ranks.

“We were shooting for a bit higher pay, but we’re happy with what we got,” Lafayette Fire Chief Robert Benoit said.

Some councilmen questioned why the budget did not add funded firefighter positions to match the boost in staffing proposed for the Police Department.

“We’re growing the Police Department, and I feel this department ought to grow,” said City-Parish Councilman Jay Castille, a retired firefighter.

The number of funded positions in the Fire Department has grown by only five since 2000, from 252 to 257.