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Budget committee hears police memo on 24-hour shifts and says overtime is driving budget pressure
Summary
Committee members discussed a police department memo describing officer staffing on a 24-hour-on/48-hour-off rotating schedule, higher overtime and contract-driven pay increases that have contributed to an estimated budget overrun.
Rangeley — Budget committee members reviewed a memo from police leadership about the department’s current rotating schedule, overtime and contract costs and asked for further detail before the committee finalizes recommendations.
The town manager and the police chief presented the department’s operating picture, telling the committee that the police department has spent roughly 55% of its operating budget to date and is on track to exceed the current fiscal-year budget by about $95,000. According to the memo, about $54,000 of the projected overrun is attributable to contract-driven increases in pay and benefits; the remainder is mainly overtime tied to scheduling.
Committee members asked how the current 24-hours-on, 48-hours-off shift pattern works in practice, whether officers sleep at the station while remaining available for calls, and whether on-call pay provisions or a different schedule might reduce overtime. The committee also asked for clarifications about how staffing overlaps occur (times when more than one cruiser is on duty) and whether the department’s staffing model could be changed to reduce overtime costs.
The chief and the manager said the schedule is intended to ensure 24/7 coverage; officers take rest breaks and remain available for calls while on shift. The manager and chief confirmed they are in negotiations with the union about on-call and overtime provisions and that any agreement could produce fiscal relief. The memo and discussion also noted the department’s use of a bunk room and that officers are responding to calls while on-shift.
Next steps: The committee requested written answers to specific questions and additional scenario modelling (for example, the fiscal impact of different scheduling or pay arrangements) ahead of the Feb. 4 meeting and again on Feb. 11 if needed.
Ending: Committee members said they wanted public clarity about how scheduling and overtime translate into budget outcomes before making recommendations.
