Law Board approves $1.55m budget increase for RCPD

MANHATTAN (KSNT) – The Riley County Police Department (RCPD) reports the Law Board approved a 5.4% increase for its 2026 budget.

The Law Board approved the RCPD budget of $30.3 million for 2026 on June 16, a $1.55 million increase over the year prior. The RCPD said it would use the extra funds to apply salary adjustments for employees, increase health insurance contributions and fund contractual services.

“The priorities of the 2026 RCPD budget are supporting our workforce, those who built and sustained our agency successes, keeping up with increasing operational costs, and managing new directives within our law enforcement nexus,” said RCPD Director Brian Peete.

The department will be taking over responsibility of the Animal Control Program that was funded by the City of Manhattan and ran by the Manhattan Fire Department. The RCPD said that in 2026 it will employ three animal control officers.

“By statute, RCPD’s only source of funding is property taxes, and we strive to be responsible stewards of the taxpayer money,” Peete said. “We also understand the pressure our local leaders face in managing the cost of taxation on the citizens of Manhattan and Riley County”

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