Charlton police ask for two staff additions, outline strain from Amazon calls and animal control expenses

Police Chief said the department’s FY26 operating request includes two personnel additions — an administrative sergeant and a full‑time dispatcher — and described recurrent operational strains tied to calls at the nearby Amazon facility and to animal control maintenance costs.

The chief told the Finance Committee that the department currently runs some overnight shifts with a single dispatcher and that adding a second full‑time dispatcher would allow two people on duty on a regular schedule. “The days of operating with one dispatcher are just non‑existent,” the Police Chief said, adding that the department now has seven full‑time dispatchers and two part‑time employees and that the additional hire would move staffing toward an eight‑person roster and more reliable 24‑hour coverage.

The chief also described one incident at the Amazon facility that prompted a major multi‑agency response after a radio transmission inside the building was interpreted as a shooting. “A call came from within Amazon on their radio system saying there was a shooting,” the Police Chief said. He told the committee that mutual aid arrived from multiple agencies and that the event prompted a post‑incident review and discussions with Amazon about internal procedures, access to radio recordings, and security practices.

On animal control, the chief said the town’s animal control operation is facing repeated costs to pump a tight tank and to launder animal bedding; he recommended more frequent pumping as a short‑term fix and said a long‑term capital replacement would require engineering and “tens of thousands of dollars.” The department also plans temporary vehicle sharing between the police department and animal control until a replacement van is secured.

The department’s capital priorities in the presentation included license‑plate reader cameras already installed in fixed locations, rifle optics and suppressors, and a record management (CAD/RMS) upgrade the chief said could be accelerated if the town moves toward regional dispatch. The Police Chief warned that PSAP infrastructure is expensive to reacquire: “If you lose a PSAP, it's over $1,000,000 to get it back,” he said while explaining risks and tradeoffs of a potential move to regional dispatch.

Committee members asked for usage and call‑volume data for Amazon responses and pressed the chief on alternatives for animal bedding laundering, on whether the town could seek payment from event organizers for police details, and on the projected costs and timing for vehicle leasing or purchases. The chief said leasing might be suitable for lower‑mileage vehicles but not high‑mileage patrol cars and that supply chain delays have slowed planned vehicle replacements.

The committee did not take a vote on the budget during the presentation and reserved further review for upcoming Finance Committee deliberations.