[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6563277,"mediaKeyId","3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137","parentId",3230877,"title","Police report: $429,000 in unpaid fines, 71 officers anticipated and grant-funded traffic enforcement results","audioSeconds",160,"startMs",488000,"endMs",648000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137&start=488&end=648","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137/thumbnail_488000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6563277/Torrington/Northwest-Hills-County/Connecticut/Police-report-429000-in-unpaid-fines-71-officers-anticipated-and-grant-funded-traffic-enforcement-results","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563277-bce66bbd0636f45021ba357d6d193e37/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153587&Signature=WfouM1T6TrczQY4ejejrYxXiHUWML4sE4NvDsS6Xzh70wVt74yRg3RJlJcTYi6bDNEr~0idftk0uEel1lbmFKhBw6B258AwEZLnCIrG0HKZx0ncvpioSAam8-kwT3pob~ggcjNF1ZedvP7bRs00svB3M7TTstoVxSv38J9OesaO85n9BXAm4JgawETsAR1UcGKYo3gm8SjVY5D6FqV5UEiRy3hrru~pXdfSyBOfNuz~wYRK3~a7J2E4Zn6wsL1pm3Q4kwRPAgxkgM9d~ws4F1wMVGWHNi33fPTMYIZ97-PfAOlHTXhXrYPX-XgybvV4U~tBtGLiVYY4OTQk7susQ3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Torrington CT","date","2025-05-08T12:49:30Z","article","The Torrington Board of Public Safety accepted Police Chief Baldwin's March 2025 report, which the meeting record shows included $429,000 in unpaid fines and a total collections figure of $2,023,000 listed in the packet (the packet did not specify the exact collection timeframe).

Deputy-led police staff told the board that Sergeant Baldus has been working collection cases and that many current collections are processed through the state motor-vehicle system. The deputy chief said the department would provide a more detailed age analysis of unpaid fines and the April parking report on request.

The department reported several ongoing enforcement grants: a rural road speed grant expected to wrap up this month at roughly $35,000 and a year-long DWI grant continuing through the year. From March 1 through May 5, grant-funded enforcement produced 345 stops and 73 infractions, the chief said; DUI totals were not available at the meeting.

Staffing and overtime: leaders described near-term staffing reductions. The department reported being at about 74 officers following recent retirements, with one officer leaving next week and the potential to be at 71 after that change. The deputy chief said some conditional offers are pending for additional hires; background checks are in progress for three or four candidates.

Overtime pressures were cited as rising, including an overtime figure noted in the packet of about $108,000. The department said some overtime increases were caused by training requirements — a recent conversion to red-dot optics required two days of training for officers and contributed to overtime levels as officers were pulled off shifts.

The board accepted the report and asked the department for follow-up data on collections and the April parking report.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 7, 2025 | Board of Public Safety Regular Meeting & Special Board of Public Safety Budget Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Torrington Board of Public Safety accepted the police chief's March report showing $429,000 in unpaid fines and ongoing grant-funded traffic enforcement; police leaders said staffing will fall to about 71 officers after a resignation and retirements, and they reported higher overtime driven by training and temporary staffing gaps.","taxTitle","Torrington, Northwest Hills County, Connecticut","taxId",52777,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563281,"Fire leadership warns staffing, fleet and station closures raise safety risks for Torrington's East Side",0,1808000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137&start=1808&end=1808","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137/thumbnail_1808000.jpg","/articles/6563281/Torrington/Northwest-Hills-County/Connecticut/Fire-leadership-warns-staffing-fleet-and-station-closures-raise-safety-risks-for-Torringtons-East-Side","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563281-e7ec77141147f5e0cc006f7cdda5bcf8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153587&Signature=LY7TYAJfPoaF-3~CBq99s7O5TQVVu~r9nIgrUCS9V3bWrJ1jpCl7Dpy7S4S1jaCRa-RJknMcsfRa59MD-QjciekY9YdvBuoVhilW3r86ttTvCvP7ioLYUUdtIqsGaaI9H6tJpq00t5B3nH9GvNpU63SDoyRyxaPabobTzZTRE5VqI9k47KA6s29hyKmktiXfAiHNrtXcs4ZA7AS4iyKmaIPesm8-MVChOS5XmE2-3ZxldGXbB4K2ocKXW7IoH9GiHUf4t00GEopFsfjLHImYFYnkT24QyTXe6zDbS2DBdRb6TQArVSXw4tHqC8DWJrXpjS2DFVURpqx94-czDFJ9dA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Battalion-level fire officers told the Torrington Board of Public Safety that staffing shortfalls, aging vehicles and the closure of nearby volunteer stations are increasing risk for the city's East Side (the Torrington Ford section), and urged faster action while legal and environmental reviews proceed on a potential station property.

A battalion chief said the department lacks enough on-duty personnel to form a rapid intervention team — a crew trained and designated to rescue a downed firefighter on the initial attack — and described injuries and difficult conditions at a recent Wall Street structure fire. \"I cannot provide that off on the initial cuff ... I can't provide the safety to these guys behind me when the city keeps chipping the stuff away from me,\" the chief said.

Chief Borden and other officials described a multi-step process before the city could take title or establish a presence on a property often referred to in the meeting as the Torrington Ford site. Corporation counsel and outside counsel must finalize language for an initial term sheet, the city must clear the site for contamination risks (lead paint, PCBs, asbestos) and the Planning and Zoning Commission must complete an 8-24 determination before title can change hands or extensive work begins.

Volunteer fire leaders also spoke at the meeting. The volunteer chief said his company had recruited seven new members since April 1, bringing total membership to 23 (including associates), but several sets of turnout gear were out of date and four sets would need replacement in the coming months. He thanked Torrington for donated gear but said more investment would be required to certify interior firefighting capability.

The board and chiefs discussed possible interim measures, including temporary staffed presence or modular facilities, but officials said legal, environmental and procedural checks could reasonably take 60–90 days once counsel and the commissioners authorize environmental assessors and a design team to review the property.

The board directed staff to continue legal and environmental work and requested monthly updates on progress and any public-safety implications.

The board also approved routine personnel promotions and other procedural business during the same meeting.","Fire department leaders told the board that reduced staffing, aging apparatus and the closure of nearby volunteer stations increase the probability of worse outcomes in the Torrington Ford section; chiefs said legal and environmental reviews are underway for a potential station property.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6563287,"Board advances public-safety budgets to city council as revaluation shifts tax burden onto homeowners",837,2473000,3310000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137&start=2473&end=3310","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3230877-5a8777ada78247556ec4bb7f880fc137/thumbnail_2473000.jpg","/articles/6563287/Torrington/Northwest-Hills-County/Connecticut/Board-advances-public-safety-budgets-to-city-council-as-revaluation-shifts-tax-burden-onto-homeowners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6563287-dbeccbb8da3210259f5c742e3100a817/orig.mp4?Expires=1771153587&Signature=oPmfx1AwrVXYxyuH2SjQzDsd6xibA7Y0O-rUl1vN5~R0XEImz-HjzQ9xzetQzux1Sbo9bZ8t7QniRMXhlH0FcVWsvMKeQaf~1jLif5Vm5Pscprlqw1Xb5yV84BbFWgGTtsa0pxXPmap34tTUdGRJ3rRYDTO4eocGqDmRDTa5n02yVxDB0ZdYXQgPSJztpBQ6UQus9AW-NYI64pWXrkkRJkW8k516BkV5OPFqzHoLe5yyvg5TEgYNf671RTw4HMhdGMepADPp18nhEwtC4DNASNg3jwWib5hwVc3YGmC-KnHfnU~~mkHHjQ0N~62w7Igy96dr47L9I4VDj4dlIkDu~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrington Board of Public Safety voted to advance multiple public-safety budgets to the city council at a special budget meeting, saying a recent property revaluation has shifted the tax burden toward homeowners and forced deep cuts or level funding across departments.

The board's budget subcommittee told the meeting that residential property values rose roughly 90%–110% in the revaluation performed Oct. 1, 2024, while commercial values rose about 40%. The mismatch, officials said, means the city faces a tax-shift that could increase residential property tax bills by roughly 25%–42% if adjustments are not made by the council.

The board advanced the proposed budgets for public safety miscellaneous, the fire department, volunteer fire organizations, the police department, animal control, traffic and emergency management to the city council for approval. The moves do not constitute final approvals; the city council will review the packages and set final appropriations.

Why it matters: department leaders said the revaluation left the city with little room to raise revenue without producing outsized effects on homeowners. Fire and police chiefs told the board they had already pared programs and equipment plans to avoid layoffs while meeting safety obligations.

The fire department initially proposed a roughly $7.2 million operating budget for FY 2025–26 and returned with a reduced proposal of about $6.7 million after the subcommittee asked for cuts. Chief Borden told the board those reductions required cutting training programs and other line items while preserving staffing where possible. \"We had to give up a lot of our programs ... it was a very, very difficult budget year for us,\" Borden said.

Borden and other staff outlined the most significant line items affected: roughly $535,000 in reductions that include a $227,915 cut from salary lines (equivalent to about 2.5 full-time positions over the year), reductions in capital outlay and vehicle-replacement funding, and trimmed training and equipment budgets. The board retained an $800,000 annual vehicle-replacement contribution rather than the department's earlier plan to increase that contribution toward $1 million.

The board and department leaders discussed the downstream effects of cuts to training, protective gear and vehicle replacement. Borden said a set of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) can cost about $10,000 each and that the department runs roughly 50 such packs; SCBA and turnout gear also have service-life expectations. \"If we don't keep putting money in, we'll be way behind,\" Borden said.

Police leadership similarly saw most of its proposed increase driven by contract pay raises. The deputy police chief told the board that roughly $600,000–$630,000 of the police budget change represents payroll increases, and the department made cuts largely in overtime, some equipment and training funding to meet the subcommittee's direction.

Board members said they understand the operational impacts but emphasized the revaluation forced difficult choices. Commissioner McElroy said the city is working on East Side protection and will continue negotiations over property and facility options but that the process will require legal steps.

Votes at a glance (all motions carried 4–0 unless noted):
- Accept and advance the proposed public safety miscellaneous budget for FY25–26 to the city council — approved (yes:4, no:0).
- Accept and advance the proposed Fire Department FY25–26 budget (reduced from ~$7.2M to ~$6.7M) — approved (yes:4, no:0).
- Accept and advance the proposed Volunteers budget for FY25–26 — approved (yes:4, no:0).
- Accept and advance the proposed Police Department FY25–26 budget — approved (yes:4, no:0).
- Accept and advance the proposed Animal Control budget for FY25–26 — approved (yes:4, no:0).
- Accept and advance the proposed Traffic Division budget for FY25–26 — approved (yes:4, no:0).
- Accept and advance the proposed Emergency Management budget for FY25–26 — approved (yes:4, no:0).

Department leaders said they will return to the board and to the city council with line-item detail as the council considers final appropriations. The board's decision to advance the budgets does not change staffing authorizations; any personnel changes tied to funding will be finalized only after council action.","At a May special budget meeting, the Torrington Board of Public Safety advanced department-level budgets to the city council after a subcommittee recommended level funding; officials said a recent revaluation could raise residential taxes by 25–42% if not otherwise mitigated.","actionData","errors"]

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Police report: $429,000 in unpaid fines, 71 officers anticipated and grant-funded traffic enforcement results

Fire leadership warns staffing, fleet and station closures raise safety risks for Torrington's East Side

Board advances public-safety budgets to city council as revaluation shifts tax burden onto homeowners