City leaders in Bunnell are working on the budget for next year, and the police department is getting some extra money.

  • Proposed Bunnell budget is nearly $3 million
  • Budget includes money to grow city's police department
  • Agency was forced to cut back on officers

The nearly $900,000 police budget aims to put more officers on the streets.

Prior to 2014, Bunnell had 14 officers and a chief. Severe budget cuts reduced the force to six officers. Now they're slowly adding jobs back.

Next year's budget allows for eight officers, and the police chief says nine is the department's short-term goal.

We compared the size of the Bunnell police force to other cities.

Ponce Inlet has 11 officers and Flagler Beach has 15.

Holly Hill and South Daytona have a little more than double Bunnell's population. They have 30 officers.

The two public hearings on the final budget will be held in September.

The total proposed budget for the city is nearly $3 million.