Police chief outlines staffing gains, training requirements and technology upgrades in budget pitch

The police department told the Select Board it can trim operating costs but still needs investments in personnel, training and technology to meet service expectations. The chief reported that hiring and staffing are improving — three officers from the academy are expected to be road‑ready later in the year — which should reduce overtime pressure. To help recruitment, the department proposed sign‑on stipends: $3,000 spread over five years for new officers and $5,000 spread over three years for experienced certified officers. The chief said he showed the sign‑on payments as a separate line outside base salary.
The chief asked for continued funding for part‑time (special police) wages and proposed a modest reduction in the overtime and gasoline lines based on recent trends and better staffing. He also sought money for body armor, vests and officer equipment (estimated about $1,600 per officer for initial gear) and for training to meet a new 24‑hour annual training requirement.
On technology, the department described migration to ProSuite for records and vehicle maintenance tracking, and an Axon virtual‑reality de‑escalation training set that can deliver scenario‑based hours. ProSuite, the chief said, should improve fleet maintenance tracking and personnel records and will be implemented this fall. He also described a plan to avoid taxing the general fund for cruiser replacement by using the “detail fund” (revenue from paid details) to buy one cruiser per year when the fund balance allows; the detail fund balance was said to be about $58,000 at the time of the meeting.
On ammunition and firearms, the chief said he is transitioning service weapons to a 9mm standard to reduce ammunition cost and improve capacity; training and duty ammunition remain significant line items. The board did not vote on budget items during the presentation; the chief requested that the figures be included in the draft and noted the department will provide updates as hires become fully operational.