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Committee backs three new police positions to bolster beach patrols and follow-up work
Summary
The Budget Review Committee voted to fund three additional police positions to improve daytime and summer coverage, offsetting part of the cost by reducing the seasonal reserves. Members said recruiting shortfalls and limits to the reserve-officer program prompted the change.
The Budget Review Committee approved funding for three additional full-time police positions after hearing the departmentdescribe recruitment challenges and gaps in seasonal coverage.
Why it matters: The additions are intended to expand proactive policing, provide consistent school and community outreach coverage, and reduce reliance on reserve officers and overtime. The committee agreed to offset part of the first-year cost by reducing a seasonal-reserve line.
What the police presented Police leadership said staffing shortfalls have left the department more reactive than proactive during peak seasons. The department described a multi-year plan to rotate new apparatus and personnel in order to maintain coverage: two full-time uniform officers on bicycles during summer months, an outreach officer to cover SRO duties and domestic-violence follow-ups, and additional patrol capacity to improve safety at night.
Recruiting and reserve officers Officials told the committee that the town's reserve-officer program has become difficult to sustain. New training and accreditation requirements lengthen and raise the cost of producing reserves, reducing the effective calendar time a reserve would be available. The department recommended shifting some budgeted reserve funds to full-time salaries to ensure consistent coverage.
Motion and funding details The committee approved the three-position request with an amendment on funding: if all three positions are approved and hired, the committee will reduce the seasonal reserve line by $75,000 to help offset first-year costs; if the positions are not filled as proposed, the committee will instead reduce reserves by $14,000. The motion included timing phased across the first year so hires could be staggered.
Next steps Staff will finalize the adjustments to reserve and seasonal funds, and the department will return with hiring timelines and expected start dates for the new positions.
