New Police Force Budget Approved
DIAMOND HEAD - Diamond Head budgets $1.5 million for new municipal police department
The city's own police force, created to replace sheriff's office coverage, will carry a $1.5 million budget in fiscal year 2027, the city council was told.
At a Diamond Head City Council budget presentation on Sept. 2, the city manager, whose name was not stated in the meeting record, outlined spending plans for the newly formed municipal police department. "Our budget, estimated budget for FY207 is $1.5 million, just about 12 officers, one chief, one assistant chief," the city manager said, adding that the roster includes two investigators and eight patrol-level officers.
According to remarks attributed to the police chief, whose identity was not confirmed in the record, six full-time and two part-time officers were sworn in the day before the council meeting.
The move marks a structural change in local government rather than a routine budget adjustment, since Diamond Head previously relied on county sheriff's office coverage rather than maintaining its own department. The $1.5 million figure represents a new, ongoing annual commitment for the city, and officials have not yet detailed how it will affect the broader municipal budget going forward.