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Plaistow police chief outlines staffing, K‑9, equipment and accreditation work
Summary
Police Chief John Santoro gave a departmental update June 16 covering recent hires and promotions, a planned K‑9 program, grants and equipment needs including camera replacements and a fingerprint‑card printer purchase.
Police Chief John Santoro briefed the Plaistow Board of Selectmen June 16 on staffing changes, training, equipment purchases and accreditation work at the Plaistow Police Department.
Santoro said the department recently promoted a sergeant to interim lieutenant (Lieutenant Robert Doria was sworn in earlier in the meeting) and has hired two full-time officers with one additional candidate currently in background checks and medical screening. The department is also recruiting to fill a single full‑time dispatcher vacancy.
The department is launching a K‑9 program: the handler (Sergeant Dehullo) will attend a 12‑week K‑9 academy beginning in September and the department expects to receive and place the K‑9 with the handler in September. The K‑9 cruiser is being upfitted and the department plans fundraising and donor outreach to offset costs, Santoro said, noting a substantial grant from the Stanton Foundation and verbal commitments from local businesses.
On equipment and operations, Santoro reported the department replaced a fingerprint‑card printer (approximately $4,000) to meet required card standards and raised its fingerprinting fees after a rate survey showed Plaistow’s charges were well below neighboring communities. He also described grant-funded purchases including mounted radar units and handheld lidar devices, and said the department will continue to pursue grants to support staffing and equipment.
Santoro outlined planned work on a camera‑system upgrade: several existing cameras are beyond repair or incompatible with newer systems and he said at least three critical cameras need installation on the police side. He said the department is exploring maintenance‑contract options and potential grant sources but warned federal grant funding is limited.
The department continues accreditation work through the New Hampshire accreditation commission and uses PowerDMS for policy and training management. Santoro described ongoing training for officers (firearms, medical response, wellness, SRO certification for school resource officers) and communications‑center training.
Board members asked about the sustainability of state grant funding, the new fingerprint fees and near‑term equipment costs; Santoro said state grants for radar and related equipment remain available and that the department is budgeting for needed camera and maintenance work. He closed by thanking staff and community partners for support and by noting planned community outreach events this summer.
