The Framingham Police Department asked the finance subcommittee on May 10 to consider a multi‑year hiring plan to boost patrol staffing, citing a long onboarding pipeline, rising overtime and growing non‑crime calls for service.

Why it matters: Police staffing levels and overtime directly affect public safety services, response times and the department’s operating costs. The chief said steady increases in call volume and the department’s community‑oriented responsibilities require more officers to allow proactive patrol work in addition to response duties.

What presenters said: The police chief (presenter name not provided in the transcript) described the department’s staffing, retention and training pipeline: as of the presentation the department employed 136 sworn officers, roughly 13 civilian personnel, nine dispatchers and 16 crossing guards. The chief said hiring and training take time—candidates currently at the physical fitness step still must complete background checks, psychological review and a six‑month police academy, a process that can total about a year before an officer is fully independent. For that reason the department recommended adding roughly seven officers per year over five years to close staffing gaps.

Overtime and operational drivers: The chief and other presenters said overtime increases were driven by multiple factors: high call volumes (including mental‑health co‑response calls and repeated event coverage), long court appearances, training requirements that require backfill on the street, injury‑related absences and military deployments. The chief said department training and accreditation work (including meeting Massachusetts POST standards and implementing body‑worn cameras) also increases personnel costs and time away from patrol and that additional training should exceed minimum standards.

Animal control and other units: The presentation also covered animal control, which the chief said now has three full‑time staff and provides seven‑day coverage with officers available for emergency response outside scheduled hours. The animal control unit’s workload includes wildlife complaints, kennel inspections and arranging rabies testing when necessary.

Questions and follow‑up: Councilors asked for more data and analysis. Councilor Steiner thanked officers for community programs and noted that many officers participate in outreach events. Councilor PilIsbury and others asked for multi‑year metrics: calls for service over time, overtime trends and other measures that support the staffing request. The chief agreed to provide historical metrics and data presentations for the full council.

Ending: The subcommittee did not take a hiring vote on May 10. Police leaders said they would supply historical call and overtime metrics to help the council evaluate staffing plans.