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Wolfeboro police commissioners hear staffing, training and dispatch relocation updates
Summary
At its April 10 meeting the Wolfeboro Police Commission heard activity statistics showing fewer incidents in March, reviewed staffing and hiring timelines, and was told the dispatch center is expected to move to the building's front section by late spring or early summer.
The Wolfeboro Police Commission on April 10 received monthly activity reports showing a small decline in incidents and discussed staffing, training and a planned move of the dispatch center, officials said.
Captain Libby, who delivered the department's monthly report, said "for the month of March, we had a decrease of 2 percent, with 49." He told commissioners collisions were down "40%, from 10 to 6," while traffic stops rose sharply from 61 in February to 157 in March.
The report also included dispatch and court statistics: the department recorded 3,501 calls for service handled by Wolfeboro Central Dispatch in March and 154 walk-ins in the month, with 447 walk-ins year to date. Captain Libby said court-related fines totaled roughly $1,700.4 and that the department's operating budget was running about 3.12% underspent.
Why it matters: commissioners said staffing and training choices affect patrol coverage and public safety visibility. "We're still looking good for our operations," Captain Libby said, noting the town plans to reallocate about $77,000 from several budget lines this year but that the department believes it can manage the reduction while several positions remain unfilled.
Commissioners discussed hiring and the department's training pipeline. Recruiting uses multiple venues, including Indeed and Facebook, and candidates go through an oral board and background checks, Captain Libby said. The department is piloting a pre-academy field-training period: two new hires began a short field-training block before the academy, which the captain said is intended to give recruits practical experience ahead of the 16-week academy and the roughly 12-week field-training program that follows.
"This is something new that we're trying out," Captain Libby said of the pre-academy training; "then they do the academy that goes 16 weeks. And then the field training, full field training is about 12 weeks." He added the background-investigation stage can take months.
Commissioners were told the department currently has four vacancies, with two candidates in background checks who are being considered for an August academy class. Investigator Shaburi was identified as handling current background investigations.
On facilities, Captain Libby said the dispatch center is expected to occupy the new front section of the police building "by the end of May or June," though he cautioned some finishing work could delay a full lobby opening. The captain said the department will not rush the move and will ensure construction touch-ups are complete before staff relocate.
Administrative notes: the commission approved minutes from the March 13 meeting as written and adjourned at the end of the April 10 session. The commission's next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 8 at 6 p.m. in the Great Hall.
Community impact: commissioners and staff repeatedly tied the staffing and training updates to public-facing results, noting reduced collisions and increased traffic enforcement as indicators of more visible patrols. Several commissioners and staff emphasized that the department is pursuing accreditation and revising policies and procedures to meet accreditation standards.
