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Northborough police outline fleet, equipment and communications needs; chief requests taser and radio upgrades
Summary
Chief Griffin told the Financial Planning Committee the police department handled about 16,000 calls for service so far this year and requested funding for two patrol vehicles, a detective/administrative vehicle, replacement Tasers (X10 system) at $130,000 and a major communications upgrade pending a consultant's study.
Chief Griffin presented the police department’s operations snapshot and multi-year capital needs at the Dec. 9 Financial Planning Committee meeting. He reported roughly 16,000 calls for service so far this year and said the department remains focused on traffic enforcement, mental-health responses and organized retail-theft investigations.
For FY27 Griffin asked the committee to fund two replacement patrol vehicles (Ford Interceptor utility; hybrid if available) and one detective/administrative vehicle. He said the town’s fleet-replacement schedule had previously relied on a four-year rotation but that longer warranties (for Ford Interceptor units) make extending service life possible.
Griffin also requested funding to replace the department’s conducted electrical weapons (Tasers). He explained the currently issued X2 models are discontinued and replacement parts are no longer guaranteed, telling the committee, "If taser says they need to be replaced and these are expired, they're no longer making them. I'm asking that we seek to purchase what's called the x 10." The replacement package, Griffin said, includes hardware, software, evidence-management downloads and training; his FY27 ask for 24 units plus training and system costs was approximately $130,000.
The chief warned of critical communications gaps across parts of town and described an ARPA-funded communications study that is nearing completion. He urged the committee to wait for the consultant’s recommendations before committing to a large communications-center or radio-system purchase; placeholder estimates for a full upgrade range widely, and Griffin described phased purchases (portable radios, console upgrades) aligned to the consultant report as his preferred approach.
Committee members asked whether some items could be deferred; Griffin suggested postponing portable radio replacements while prioritizing the console and broader communications study when the consultant’s report is available. The committee did not vote on the requests at the Dec. 9 meeting; Griffin said he may return to town meeting with refined numbers.
