DORAVILLE, Ga.,None — A metro city could be making big cuts to its police department.
According to a draft budget proposal for the city of Doraville, the council could cut nearly $730,000 from the police department's budget, which amounts to a 13 percent reduction from last year.
A source who attended Monday night's city council meeting told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik that the council has discussed cutting at least 10 positions from the police department, which has only 46 sworn officers.
Acting Mayor Maria Alexander told Petchenik that she asked every department to make cuts as the city faces a budget shortfall of nearly $572,000. Alexander said not all of the cuts would be of sworn officers, but she declined to discuss specifics, calling the matter "sensitive." Alexander said there would be "personnel adjustments" made.
When reached by phone, Council Member Brian Bates told Petchenik he won't comment on a draft proposal of the budget. Calls to other council members weren't returned.
The council will vote on the budget at the end of June.
Resident Heather Dever spoke highly of the police department and told Petchenik it would be a shame if there were cuts.
"Hopefully as they sit down in the next week or so, they'll be able to find an alternative to cutting one of our main public services in our police department," she said.
According to the city's website, the council is also discussing a potential property tax rate hike of 3.28 percent, which would mean a $48 per year increase on a $120,000 home.