City of Charleston Ad Hoc Budget Committee 9/10/25

The City of Charleston Ad Hoc Budget Committee met on September 10, 2025, to review and discuss budget requests primarily from the police and fire departments. The police department proposed several procurement and staffing initiatives including replacing Glock 45 pistols with smaller 9mm models, funding new community outreach and prevention programs, adding civilian community service officers, purchasing a new classroom trailer and firearm cleaning unit, hiring an additional digital forensic analyst, and supporting elder victim advocate positions. They also discussed mandated body-worn camera replacements and expanding school resource officers funded by a state grant. The fire department presented a robust $9 million budget request covering life safety equipment replacements such as thermal imaging cameras, cardiac monitors, and body cameras for fire marshals, as well as health and wellness programs including cancer screenings, mental health training, and a therapy dog. They also requested 15 new firefighter positions for a new ladder company, pay incentives for special operations personnel, and enhancements to emergency management including additional staff and vehicles. Committee members emphasized the need to prioritize these requests given budget constraints and discussed coordination between emergency management, fire, and police departments for disaster response and flood management. The meeting concluded with plans to refine and prioritize budget proposals ahead of the larger budget review process.