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Article Summary
Interim Cincinnati Police Chief Adam Hennie proposed $6.6 million in budget reductions to the City Council as part of a citywide mandate to address a $29.5 million municipal deficit for FY 2027. The police department plans to achieve initial savings by eliminating position vacancies and reducing miscellaneous operational expenses. However, officials warn that reaching the full 5.1% reduction target of $11 million remains mathematically impossible without initiating officer layoffs.
City officials face difficult decisions as proposed police budget cuts threaten municipal public safety efforts.
Interim Chief Adam Hennie presented the initial police budget cuts to the City Council this week.
Interim Cincinnati Police Chief Adam Hennie presented $6.6 million in police budget cuts during a Monday committee meeting. These proposed reductions arrive as city administrators demand financial sacrifices from all municipal departments.
Recent local reporting by WVXU indicates Hennie warned the City Council about the severe impacts of these reductions. He noted that hitting the full mandated reduction target would force the department to initiate layoffs. Personnel costs currently consume roughly 90 percent of the department’s total operating budget.
City officials recently directed all general fund departments to model 5.1 percent spending reductions. Administrators instituted this mandate to close a projected $29.5 million municipal deficit for the FY 2027 budget.
For the police department, a full 5.1 percent reduction equals nearly $11 million in lost funding. Hennie told the Budget Committee that shedding $11 million without touching personnel remains mathematically impossible. The department must find alternative savings to protect current officers from losing their jobs.
Strategies to mitigate police budget cuts
The department formulated a targeted plan to achieve the initial $6.6 million in savings. Officials plan to eliminate the position vacancies allowance to generate immediate financial relief. This specific administrative move saves the city approximately $3.8 million for the upcoming fiscal year.
Hennie also proposed trimming an additional $250,000 from various miscellaneous operational expenses. However, these combined efforts still leave the department searching for millions in remaining reductions.
Current staffing shortages complicate cuts
Current staffing levels provide a stark backdrop to the ongoing financial discussions. The Cincinnati Police Department holds a budgeted capacity for 1,059 sworn officers.
Despite this capacity, the department currently employs only 959 sworn officers across the city. Officers continue to retire at a faster rate than the city can recruit and train replacements. This existing staffing shortage creates a complex environment for implementing new financial restrictions.
Delaying new recruits offers a controversial fix
Hennie offered one controversial option to bridge the remaining financial gap for the department. He suggested pushing the current police recruit class into the FY 2028 budget cycle.
Delaying the recruit class provides immediate savings for the upcoming FY 2027 budget update. However, this delay forces the department to rely on existing officers to cover the resulting patrol shortages. City leaders immediately recognized the long-term consequences of this proposed recruitment delay.
Council members oppose police budget cuts
The proposal to delay the upcoming recruit class met swift resistance from the committee. City Council member Seth Walsh quickly labeled the proposed delay a complete non-starter.
Walsh argued that delaying new recruits ultimately drives up the department’s mandatory overtime budget. He noted that excessive overtime spending helped create the current financial deficit in the first place. Residents still expect the city to prioritize public safety despite the looming deficit.
Protecting public safety shifts the financial burden
Budget Committee Chair Jeff Cramerding echoed concerns about the severe impact of these reductions. Cramerding stated that he does not anticipate enacting the full 5.1% cuts on public safety agencies.
He acknowledged the difficult math facing the city as it balances the FY 2027 budget. The police and fire departments account for roughly 60% of the city’s entire general fund. Protecting these massive public safety budgets requires the city to shift a heavier burden elsewhere.
Other municipal departments face the prospect of significantly deeper reductions to balance the ledger. Cramerding warned that shielding public safety makes the rest of the budget much more challenging. Administrators must extract the remaining $29.5 million deficit from smaller civic agencies and public services.
Previous funding contradicts the deficit narrative
The current push for austerity contradicts recent financial investments in local law enforcement. Earlier this year, WVXU reported that the city allocated an extra $5.4 million for public safety.
The city spent almost all of that supplemental funding to address violent crime across local neighborhoods. The police department received a large portion of those funds specifically for officer visibility overtime. This overtime helped launch the Street Crimes Task Force across 24 distinct city neighborhoods.
Additional supplemental funds purchased new technology to assist officers in the field. The department utilized the money to repair existing surveillance cameras and install new public safety equipment. Hennie recently praised this funding for helping the department cover 90% of the city with drones.
A frustrating paradox for law enforcement
These recent investments highlight the city’s historical commitment to expanding police resources. Asking the department to slash its budget now creates a frustrating paradox for law enforcement leadership.
Some council members previously criticized the supplemental funding as a short-sighted political move. Council member Scotty Johnson previously called the extra allocation a knee-jerk reaction to political rhetoric. Opponents argued the city should spend that money addressing the root causes of systemic neighborhood violence.
Now, the city must claw back financial resources to maintain basic municipal solvency. The rapid shift from surplus spending to mandatory reductions frustrates both residents and police advocates.
The broader FY 2027 municipal deficit context
The proposed police budget cuts represent just one piece of a much larger financial puzzle. The city faces a daunting $29.5 million shortfall heading into the FY 2027 budget cycle.
Inflationary pressures and stagnant tax revenues continue to squeeze the city’s general operating fund. Administrators must find recurring revenue sources or permanent spending reductions to stabilize the municipal economy. Temporary fixes will only push the financial crisis into the next budget year.
Directives for achieving financial stability
The city manager directed departments to prepare specific models to address the shortfall. Departments must submit proposals that include the following directives to achieve financial stability:
- Provide a detailed breakdown of the mandated 5.1% operational budget reduction.
- Supply a comprehensive list of vacant positions available for immediate and permanent elimination.
- Deliver an analysis detailing how specific service cuts will impact neighborhood residents.
- Present a concrete strategy to maintain core municipal operations with limited financial resources.
Regional economic strain impacts public services
The local news ecosystem continues to track the ripple effects of this municipal deficit. Our ongoing coverage at The Cincinnati Exchange details the broader economic impacts of budget constraints.
Similar financial pressures recently impacted the Cincinnati Public Schools projected deficit planning, demonstrating region-wide economic strain. Taxpayers ultimately bear the burden as public agencies scale back crucial community services. The coming months will test the political will of local elected officials navigating this crisis.
Next steps in evaluating police budget cuts
The City Council has initiated a months-long process to collect input from concerned residents. Department heads wrapped up their formal budget presentations to the council committee on Wednesday morning.
The city administration plans to host a virtual information session for residents on April 8. This upcoming session aims to educate the public on the complexities of the municipal budget process. Officials encourage community members to participate actively in the upcoming public budget hearings.
Finalizing the FY 2027 budget document
City Council members will finalize their individual policy motions by the middle of April. City Manager Sheryl Long will utilize these specific motions to draft the initial budget document. Residents can expect to review the first official draft of the FY 2027 budget in late May.
The council must first debate the specific line items before approving the final financial blueprint. Ultimately, a final vote on the municipal budget must occur before the end of June.
Meanwhile, the fate of the police department budget remains uncertain as committee negotiations continue. As a result, Hennie and his command staff must prepare for the possibility of unprecedented financial constraints.
If approved, the department faces a difficult path forward if the council demands the full $11 million reduction. At the same time, residents will watch closely to see how the city balances fiscal austerity with public safety. In the end, the final budget document will reflect the true priorities of the current city administration.
Also read:
“Where Are All the Police?”: Cincinnati’s Public Safety Strategy Going Into 2026
FAQs
Why is the Cincinnati Police Department facing budget cuts?
City administrators directed all general fund departments to model 5.1% spending reductions. This mandate aims to close a projected $29.5 million municipal deficit for the upcoming FY 2027 budget.
How much money does the police department need to cut?
A full 5.1% reduction requires the police department to cut nearly $11 million from its operating budget. Interim Chief Adam Hennie presented an initial plan to secure $6.6 million in savings without eliminating current personnel.
Will the budget cuts cause police officer layoffs?
Reaching the initial $6.6 million reduction avoids immediate job losses by eliminating position vacancies and delaying new recruits. However, department leadership warns that achieving the full $11 million mandate requires laying off active officers.
When will the City Council finalize the FY 2027 budget?
City Council members will finalize their individual policy motions by mid-April. Residents can review the first official draft in late May, and the council must approve the final budget document before the end of June.
