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Police chief reports staffing gains, promotions and positive body-camera rollout
Summary
The police chief updated the committee on Jan. 23 about retirements and promotions, grant-funded outreach programs and dispatch grants, and said there have been no complaints since body-worn cameras were implemented.
Police Chief (Speaker 4) told the committee that several staffing moves and retirements have reshaped the department’s roster: Detective Rob Ballard retired after 31 years, Sergeant Saint Pierre is set to retire Feb. 28, Bridal Coates was promoted to sergeant effective March 1, and Detective Tony Webb has been assigned to narcotics duty following a promotion elsewhere. ‘‘Rob's a hometown kid, born and raised in the city and, stayed here in the city to serve it,’’ the chief said in tribute to the retiring detective.
The chief highlighted several community-outreach efforts funded by grants, including a full-time domestic-violence advocate who contacted more than 200 survivors in 2025 and engaged roughly three-quarters of them. The department’s junior police academy and post-overdose and unhoused outreach were described as ongoing priorities.
On technology and transparency, the chief said the department’s body-worn camera program ‘‘is going very well’’ and reported ‘‘0 complaints since the implementation of these cameras.’’ He added the video is being used in prosecutions and will be available for public-records requests as appropriate.
The chief also described dispatch and traffic-safety grants: a Support Incentive Grant ($83,714), a State 911 grant ($22,527.44), and a State 911 EMD grant (~$17,040.46). He said the department would receive $33,000 from a Shannon program in partnership with Fitchburg to support youth outreach and truancy initiatives. A DEA task-force reimbursement was reported at $22,155 for overtime.
Budget pressures remain: vehicle maintenance is overbudget (the chief transferred $10,000 to cover current needs), and overtime reserves were described as insufficient with about $27,709.96 remaining. The chief cautioned that staffing gaps and medical leaves can increase overtime needs.
Councilors asked about grant renewal and program sustainability; the chief said some grants run multiple years (VAWA three years, JAG one year) and acknowledged the city may need to reallocate resources if grant funding lapses.
