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Board of Finance directs staff to create budget line for lateral police-transfer reimbursements under Conn. Gen. Stat. §7-294(d)
Summary
After discussion the Torrington Board of Finance agreed staff should create a dedicated police department line to record and track payments required under Connecticut General Statute 7-294(d) for lateral transfers, with staff noting prior reimbursements and an expected $37,000 payment in the current case.
Torrington’s Board of Finance on Tuesday discussed creating a new police department budget line to handle payments for lateral police hires required under Connecticut General Statute 7-294(d), and members agreed staff should open the account for tracking and payment.
The matter was presented as a discussion item rather than a vote. Comptroller Olivia DeRosa and Budget Manager Erica Johnson explained the mechanics: the city would create a dedicated line (described in the meeting as “lateral transfers” or similar) so any payment would show as a negative in that line and be reclassified at year-end into the appropriate salary or uniform allowance accounts to “net out.” Johnson said the approach improves tracking of these one-time costs.
Board members noted the city has been on both sides of these transfers. The board was told the city previously received a reimbursement of almost $75,000 in 2023 for the training period for one officer and about $29,000 in 2018 for another case. In the current instance staff said the payment to be handled through the new account would be about $37,000. DeRosa and Johnson confirmed the statute anticipates municipalities recovering training and related costs when officers hired by one town leave for another while still in their training period.
Members emphasized that a recent contract with pay and equity adjustments appears to make Torrington more attractive for lateral hires, which the board characterized as a positive recruiting sign. Following discussion, Budget Manager Erica Johnson said she would create the account and the city would process payment when invoices are received.
The board did not take a formal roll-call vote on creating the line; members opened the floor for discussion and staff recorded the direction to establish the account.
