Lebanon police outline staffing gains, traffic enforcement plans and ongoing jail closure concerns

Lebanon Police Chief Frank Stephenson told the Budget Committee the department has rebounded from previous vacancies and now has two open sworn positions: one police officer and one dispatcher. The improved staffing levels allow the department to designate an officer for traffic enforcement and to restore a full detective unit.

Stephenson said the department plans technology investments to improve operations, including wider deployment of e-ticketing from patrol vehicles to reduce data entry and improve accuracy, a more robust citizen reporting app, expanded language-line services for non-English callers, and a new unmanned aircraft system (drone) program to assist searches and emergency response.

At the same time, the chief and committee discussed the long-running closure of the municipal jail and the operational and budgetary barriers to reopening it. Stephenson said the closed facility limits the department's ability to hold people locally and to apply detention as a short-term accountability measure; he identified staffing and funding for certified corrections personnel and medical staffing as critical to any reopening plan.

The police budget also reflects higher towing and storage costs tied to abandoned RVs and trailers, and budgeted vacancy assumptions reflect recent experience with turnover and recruiting. Committee members emphasized the need for more enforcement in traffic corridors and in downtown areas; the chief said traffic enforcement will begin with targeted assignments on known problem streets.

The committee included the department's operating requests, including funding for the emergency operations center upgrade that will support the police department's training and incident-response capabilities.