Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is pushing forward a plan to beef up resources for the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) with her Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2026. The proposal includes a series of investments aimed at boosting the efficiency of emergency response, bolstering the support for law enforcement officials, and increasing public safety services across the state.
The budget, which was detailed by AZDPS, features a 5% salary bump for state troopers, which translates to $5.9 million in ongoing funding, and a significant increase in uniform allowances to aid recruitment and retention efforts. For those grappling with the emotional toll of public safety work, the plan also proposes additional full-time employees for the Department’s Employee Assistance Program. Alongside these personnel investments, $788,000 is allocated for nine new call-taker positions to heighten efficiency in Phoenix and Tucson dispatch centers.
The opioid crisis isn’t neglected in the proposed budget, with $10 million earmarked to battle Arizona’s fentanyl epidemic. This includes a hefty $5 million in ongoing funding and a matching amount in one-time funding to bolster drug interdiction initiatives in border communities. Plus, there’s $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds earmarked for a fentanyl awareness campaign, aiming to spread knowledge in collaboration with state and federal partners…