Milford police present largely status-quo budget; chief warns of recruitment gap, rising tech and vehicle costs

Milford Police Chief Jake Mello told the Board of Finance that the police department’s proposed budget for the coming year is largely unchanged but includes several line-item increases for contractual obligations, equipment maintenance and overtime tied to staffing shortfalls.

The chief highlighted that most increases are contractual or fixed costs — including Motorola radio maintenance and multiple software-maintenance agreements — and said the department is carrying a personnel shortfall that is driving overtime costs higher.

“The increase is about 22.2% from the previous year,” Chief Mello said of the overtime projection, explaining the department can estimate overtime by looking at past openings and how much compensation time officers take. He said the department was at “full capacity” in July but has had nine openings since July 1; seven recruits are expected to graduate in July and then spend three months in field training, leaving the department short through the busy summer months.

Why it matters: Chief Mello and board members framed…